US3813034A - Temperature responsive device and method of making the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A temperature responsive device having a support frame carrying a valve seat that is adapted to be opened and closed by a ball valve member urged to its closed position by a bimetal member having one of its ends operatively associated with the ball valve member and the other end thereof secured to one end of a lever that has its opposed ends respectively disposed against the support frame and being secured solely thereto by a calibration screw that passes through an opening in a triangularly shaped tongue carved from an itnermediate portion of the lever so that the bend line for the lever machine is intermediate the calibration screw and one of the ends of the lever. The other end of the lever bears against a cam surface which can be made adjustable for temperature selection purposes.

Description

iUnited States Patent [1 1 Lewis et a1.

1111 3,813,034 51 May 28, 1974 54] TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME [75] Inventors: Jay L. Lewis, Concord; Louis M.

Puster, Knoxville; Harold G. Brakebill, Concord, all of Tenn.

[73] Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company,

Richmond, Va.

[22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 307,985

[52] US. Cl. 236/87, 236/101 [51] Int. Cl GOSb 11/48, GOSd 23/275 [58] Field of Search 236/87, 101 E, 15 A; 337/361, 94

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 905,425 12/190 Haywood 236/87 2,065,481 12/1936 Thulman 237/8 R 2,511,340 6/1950 Joesting 236/87 X 3,423,021 l/l969 Bergquist 236/15 A Primary ExaminerWilliam E. Wayner Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Candor, Candor & Tassone 57 ABSTRACT A temperature responsive device having a support I frame carrying a valve seat that is adapted to be opened and closed by a ball valve member urged to its closed position by a bimetal member having one of its ends operatively associated with the ball valve member and the other end thereof secured to one end of a lever that has its opposed ends respectively disposed against the support frame and being secured solely thereto by a calibration screw that passes through an opening in a triangularly shaped tongue carved from an itnermediate portion of the lever so that the bend line for the lever machine is intermediate the calibration screw and one of the ends of the lever. The other end of the lever bears against a cam surface which can be made adjustable for temperature selection purposes.

24 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAY 28 I974 SHEET 2 BF 3 A I A LIZ/1 V MTENTED HAY 2 8 I974 sum 3 BF 3 /IOA FIG.7

TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME This invention relates to an improved temperature responsive device as well as to a method for making such a temperature device or the like.

It is well known from US. Pat. to Krueter et al, No. 3,550,629 and the U.S. Pat. to Berleyoung et al, No. 3,433,413 that a temperature responsive device can be provided wherein a ball valve member can act as a fluid bleed means in a pneumatic control system with the degree of bleed through such ball valve member being controlled by a temperature sensing bimetal member normally biasing the ball valve member against its valve seat. While such bimetal member can have a fixed temperature setting, the same can also be made adjustable for temperature setting purposes.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide an improved temperature responsive device of the above type which is simple to manufacture and calibrate while being accurate in the temperature control-. ling aspects thereof.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention provides a support means. A lever is carried by the support means and has opposed ends. A bimetal member also having opposed ends has one of those ends secured to one of the ends of the lever. An operable member, such as a valve member, is carried by the support means and is operatively associated with the other end of the bimetal member to be operated thereby. A single calibration screw member secures the lever to the support means intermediate the ends of the lever to provide the sole means for mounting the bimetal arrangement to the support means and also providing the means for calibrating the temperature responsive device. The opposed ends of the lever respectively bear'against the support means with one of the ends making a single point contact therewith while the other end makes double point contact therewith. The end of the lever that makes single point contact with the support means can bear against a cam surface thereof with such cam surface being adjustable to provide for temperature selection purposes.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved temperature responsive device having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of making such a temperature responsive device or the like.

Other objects, uses, and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the improved temperature responsive device of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of the device of FIG. 1 with the cover member thereof removed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the bimetal arrangement parts for the control device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another temperature responsive device of this invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line '7-7 of FIG. 6.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adapted to provide a temperature responsive device that controls a ball bleed valve arrangement, it is to be understood that the bimetal arrangement of this invention can be utilized to control other actuators as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. I and 2, one temperature responsive device of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a casing means II having a front cover 12 adapted to be secured to a top plate 13 of a support means or frame structure 14, the support structure 14 comprising a plurality of plates l3, 15, I6 and I7 disposed in stacked relation and being suitably secured together to provide means for packaging a pneumatic control system therein, such as a pneumatic control system for operating a heat exchanger means in the manner set forth in the aforementioned patents.

However, since the pneumatic control system does not form a feature of this invention, and since such pneumatic control systems are fully described in the aforementioned US. Patents, no further description of the pneumatic control system being regulated by the temperature device Ill of this invention need be described other than to state that a passage 18 formed in a frame structure M comprises a passage for containing fluid under pressure that is adapted to be bled to the atmosphere through a valve seat 19 that is controlled by a ball valve member 20 urged toward its valve seat closing position by a bimetal arrangement of this invention that is generally indicated by the reference numeral 21 and which will now be described.

The bimetal arrangement 21 for the temperature responsive device 10 includes a lever 22 having opposed ends 23 and 24 respectively bearing against the support structure 14 in a manner hereinafter described and a substantially rectangular bimetal member 64 having one end 25 thereof secured to the end 23 of the lever 22 by any suitable fastening means, such as the rivet means 26 illustrated in the drawings. The other end 27 of the bimetal member 64 is adapted to bear against the ball valve member 20 adjacent the end 24 of the lever 22 because the ball valve member 20 and conical valve seat 19 are adapted to project through an opening 28 formed through the end 24 of the lever 22 in the manner illustrated in view 3.

A-tongue 29 is formed at the end 24 of the lever 22 during the formation of the opening 28 therethrough with the tongue 29 being bent in an L shape so as to overlie the end 27 of the bimetal member 64 and, thus, limit the upward movement of the end 27 of the bimetal member 24 away from its valve seat 119.

The end 24 of the lever 22 has two openings 30 and 31 passing therethrough and respectively receiving conical pins 32 and 33 projecting upwardly from the support structure 14 so as to provide substantially two point contact of the end 24 of the lever 22 with the support means 14. The other end 23 of the lever 22 is provided with a dimple 34 therein which defines an arcuate surface 35 which is adapted to bear against an arcuate cam surface 36 of an adjustable cam member 37 rotatably mounted to the support structure M by a threaded fastening member 38, the cam member 37 being substantially sector shaped and being ribbed on the outer periphery 39 thereof so that the outer peripheral portion thereof that projects out of the cover 11 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1 can be pushed by a finger of the operator to rotatably adjust the cam member 37 relative to the support structure 14. In this manner, the arcuate cam surface 36 is adjusted to change the pivot position of the bimetal arrangement 21 in a manner hereinafter described for temperature selection purposes of the device 10.

Thus, it can be seen that the lever 22 is adapted to be effectively mounted at the opposed ends 23 and 24' thereof in bearing contact with the support structure 14 with the end 23 making substantially single point contact therewith while the end 24 makes substantially two point contact therewith to provide a substantially tripod arrangement for the lever 22.

In order to mount the bimetal arrangement 21 to the support structure 14, a flexible tongue 40 is carved from an intermediate portion of the lever 22 between the ends 23 and 24 thereof with the tongue 40 being substantially triangularin shape and having the base part 41 thereof integrally hinged to the remainder of the lever 22 while an opening 42 passes through the tongue 40 adjacent to the apex 63 thereof to loosely receive the threaded shank portion 43 of a calibration screw 44 therethrough, the calibration screw 44 having an enlarged head 45 which will not pass through the 7 opening 42 and being provided with a hex opening 46 .in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

Thus, in order to mount the bimetal arrangement 21 to the support structure 14, the calibration screw 44 is threaded into the threaded bore 46 and the enlarged head 45 thereof compacts against the lever 22 to cause the ends 23 and 24 thereof to make bearing contact with the support structure 14 in the manner previously described whereby further inward threading of the calibration screw 44-causes the tongue 40 to flex down wardly and pull the spanning portion of the lever 22 downwardly and, thus, pull the end 27 of the bimetal member 64 downwardly so that if the same is in engagement with the ball valve member 20, the bimetal member 64 is given a greater spring force to tend to close the ball valve member 20 as the calibration screw 44 is threaded into the support structure 14. Conversely, the bimetal member 64 is given a lesser spring force to tend to close the ball valve member 20 as the calibration screw 44 is threaded out of the support structure 14.

Thus, the, calibration screw 44 is utilized for a dual purpose, namely, to provide the sole securement for the bimetal arrangement 21 to the support structure 14 and to provide the means for calibrating the temperature responsive device so that the bimetal member 64 will urge the ball valve member in engagement with the valve seat 19 with a certain force when the bimetal member 64 is sensing a certain temperature.

Because the calibration screw 44 is interconnected to the lever 22 intermediate its ends 24 and 23, the bend line for the lever 22 is to the left of the set screw 44 and, thus, is closer to the ball valve seat 19 than the end 23 thereof thus making the set point or calibration of the lever 22 less sensitive to movement at the cam end 23 thereof and allowing the use of a greater cam rise on the cam surface 36. Such arrangement also makes the adjustments of the lever 22 less sensitive to screw rotation and, thus, making it simpler to calibrate.

In order to dampen vibration movement of the bimetal member 64 through shocks and the like, a wire spring member 48 is provided and is disposed around the lever 22 and bimetal member 64 adjacent the end 27 thereof in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 with the spring member 48 having one part 49 thereof bearing against the end 27 of the bimetal member 64 and another portion 50 thereof bearing against the support structure 14 so that the natural bias of the spring member 48 is in a direction to tend to move the end 27 of the bimetal member 64 toward the lever 22.

The operation of the temperature responsive device 10 will now be described.

As previously stated, movement of the sector cam member 37 relative to the frame structure 14 positions the cam surface 36 relative to the end 23 of the lever 22 so that the same tends to cause the bimetal member 64 to urge the ball valve member 20 toward the valve seat 19 with a certain force when the bimetal memner 64 is sensing a temperature that corresponds to the particular temperature setting ofthe cam member 37 relative to the housing 14 as provided by an indicator 51 thereon being positioned adjacent a suitable scale 52 disposed on the cover 12 adjacent a window 53 thereof that exposes the indicator 51 of the cam member 37 to view. Thus, should the bimetal member 64 not urge the ball valvemernber 20 toward the valve seat 19 with the proper force when the same'is sensingthe selected temperature of the selector cam 37, the calibration screw 44 is turned inwardly or outwardly as the case may be to provide such proper bimetal spring force on the ball valve 20.

Thus, once the calibration screw 44 has been properly set and the operator has selected the desired temperature setting of the selector cam 37, should the temperature rise above the selected temperature thereof, the bimetal member 64 will urge the ball valve member 24 toward the valve seat 19 with a greater force if the bimetal member 64 warps toward the valve seat 19 upon temperature rise whereby the fluid pressure bleed from the passage 18 through the valve seat 19 will decrease. Under such circumstances, the bimetal member 64 will urge the ball valve member 20 toward the valve seat 19' with a lesser force should the same be sensing a temperature below the selected temperature of the selectorcam 37 whereby the fluid pressure bleed from thepassage 18 through the valve seat 19 will increase.

Conversely, should the bimetal member 64 be reverse acting, that is, the bimetal member 64 warping upwardly away from the seat 19 upon temperature rise, then the bimetal member 64 will urge the ball valve member 20 toward the valve seat 19 with a lesser force as the temperature sensed thereby increases beyond the set temperature thereof and will urge the ball valve member toward the valve seat 19 with a greater force as the temperature falls below the selected temperature setting of the cam member 37.

Therefore, it can be seen that the bimetal arrangement 21 of this invention readily permits the same to be assembled to the supporting structure 14 by the single calibrating screw 44 with the single calibrating screw 44 being effective to provide accurate calibration of the bimetal arrangement 21. Such bimetal arrangement 21 also readily permits the temperature setting thereof to be adjusted by the movable cam member 37 in the manner previously described.

However, it is to be understood that the end 23 of the lever 22 could be resting against a fixed cam surface for a fixed temperature setting of the temperature responsive device if desired.

For example, it may be desired to provide a remote temperature responsive device which is not adjusted by the operator to be utilized in connection with a pneumatic control system where the temperature setting is provided by a set point adjustor forming part of a wall thermostat or the like.

Such a remote sensor of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10A in FIGS. 6 and 7 and parts thereof similar to the temperature responsive device 10 previously described are indicated by like reference numerals followed by the reference letter A.

As illustrated in FIG. 6 and 7, the remote temperature sensor 10A has a bimetal arrangement 21A substantially identical to the bimetal arrangement 21 previously described except that the cam surface 36A thereof is merely a fixed post of the support structure 14A so that once the calibration screw 44A has been set, the bimetal member 64A will tend to urge the ball valve member A toward the valve seat 19A with a certain force only when the bimetal member 64A is sensing a temperature corresponding to the fixed temperature setting of the cam surface 36A.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention not only provides an improved temperature responsive device, but also this invention provides an improved method of making such a temperature responsive device or the like.

While the form and methods of this invention now preferred have been described as required by the Patent Statutes, it is to be understood that other forms and methods can be utilized and all still come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A temperature responsive device comprising support means, a lever carried by said support means and having opposed ends, a bimetal member having-opposed ends one of which is secured to one of said ends of said lever, an operable member being carried by said support means and being operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, and a calibration member securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever and providing means for calibrating said device, said lever having a tongue formed therefrom intermediate said ends thereof, said tongue having an opening passing therethrough and receiving said calibration member whereby said tongue provides a resilient mounting for said lever to said support means by said calibration member.

2. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said operable member comprises a valve member.

3. A temperature responsive device comprising support means, a lever carried by said support means and having opposed ends, a bimetal member having opposed ends one of which is secured to one of said ends of said lever, an operable member being carried by said support means and being operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, and a calibration member securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever and providing means for calibrating said device, said operable member comprising a valve member, said support means having a conical valve seat, said valve member comprising a ball disposed in said valve seat, said bimetal member having the other end thereof bearing against said ball to tend to hold said ball against said seat with a biasing force thereof that varies in accordance with the temperature being sensed thereby.

4. A temperature responsive device comprising support means, a lever carried by said support means and having opposed ends, a bimetal member having opposed ends one of which is secured to one of said ends of said lever, an operable member being carried by said support means and being operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, and a calibration member securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever and providing means for calibrating said device, said opposed ends of said lever bearing against said support means.

5. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 4 wherein the part of said support means that is engaged by said one end of said lever comprises a cam surface.

6. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said cam surface part of said support means is adjustable for temperature selection purposes of said device.

7. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said cam surface part of said support means comprises a sector-like part rotatably mounted to said support means, said cam surface being disposed in an arcuate manner on said part.

8. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said one end of said lever makes a single point contact with said support means and said other end of said lever makes a two point contact with said support means.

9. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said support means has a pair of spaced apart conical abutments projecting therefrom, said other end of said lever having a pair of spaced apart openings therein respectively receiving said abutments therein to provide said two point contact with said support means.

10. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said lever has a tongue formed therefrom intermediate said ends thereof, said tongue having an opening passing therethrough and receiving said calibration member whereby said tongue provides a resilient mounting for said lever to said support means by said calibration member.

11. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the other end of said bimetal member extends toward said other end of said lever and operates said operable member.

12. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 111 wherein said tongue of said lever is substantially triangular with only the base thereof being hinged to the remainder of said lever in a facing direction toward said other end of said lever, said opening in said tongue being near the apex of the triangular tongue so that the effective bend line of said lever is between said calibration member and said other end of said lever.

13. A method for making a temperature responsive device comprising the steps of providing support means and a lever to be carried by said support means and having opposed ends, securing one end of a bimetal member to one end of said lever, securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever solely by a calibration member that also provides means for calibrating said device whereby an operable member carried by said support means is operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, forming a tongue from said lever intermediate said ends thereof, forming an opening through said tongue, and disposing said calibration member in said opening whereby said tongue provides a resilient mounting for said lever to said support means by said calibration member.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said operable member comprises a ball valve member.

15. A method for making a temperature responsive device comprising the steps of providing support means and a lever to be carried by said support means and having opposed ends, securing one end of a bimetal member to one end of said lever, securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever solely by a calibration member that also provides means for calibrating said device whereby an oerable member carried by said support means is operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, said operable member comprising a ball valve member, forming a conical valve seat on said support means, and disposing said ball valve member in said valve seat, said securing step causing said bimetal member to have the other end thereof bear against said ball to tend to hold said ball against said seat with a biasing force thereof that varies in accordance with the temperature being sensed thereby.

16. A method for making a temperature responsive device comprising the steps of providing support means and a lever to be carried by said support means and having opposed ends, securing one end of a bimetal memberto one end of said lever, and securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever solely by a calibration member that also provides means for calibrating said device whereby an operable member carried by said support means is operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, said step of securing said lever to said support means causing the opposed ends of said lever to bear against said support means.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of forming the part of said support means that is engaged by said one end of said lever with a cam sur face that engages said one end of said lever.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 and including the step of forming said cam surface part of said support means so as to be adjustable for temperature selection purposes of said device.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 and including the steps of forming said cam surface part of said support means as a sector-like part, rotatably mounting said part to said support means, and forming said cam surface in an arcuate manner on said part.

20. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said step of securing said lever to said support means causes one end of said lever to make a single point contact with said support means and said other end of said lever to make a two point contact with said support means.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20 and including the steps of forming said support means with a pair of spaced apart conical abutments projecting therefrom, and forming the other end of said lever with a pair of spaced apart openings therein that respectively receive said abutments therein to provide said two point contact with said support means.

22. A method as set forth in claim 16 and including the steps of forming a tongue from said lever intermediate said ends thereof, forming on opening through said tongue, and disposingsaid calibration member in said opening whereby said tongue provides a resilient mounting for said lever to said support means by said calibration member.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the other end of said bimetal member extends toward said other end of said lever and operates said operable member.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of forming said tongue causes said tongue of said lever to be substantially triangular with only the base thereof being hinged to the remainder of said lever in a facing direction toward said other end of said lever, said step of forming said opening in said tongue causing said opening in said tongue to be near the apex of the traingular tongue so that the effective bend line of said lever is between said calibration member and said other end of said lever.

Claims (24)

1. A temperature responsive device comprising support means, a lever carried by said support means and having opposed ends, a bimetal member having opposed ends one of which is secured to one of said ends of said lever, an operable member being carried by said support means and being operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, and a calibration member securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever and providing means for calibrating said device, said lever having a tongue formed therefrom intermediate said ends thereof, said tongue having an opening passing therethrough and receiving said calibration member whereby said tongue provides a resilient mounting for said lever to said support means by said calibration member.

2. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said operable member comprises a valve member.

3. A temperature responsive device comprising support means, a lever carried by said support means and having opposed ends, a bimetal member having opposed ends one of which is secured to one of said ends of said lever, an operable member being carried by said support means and being operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, and a calibration member securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever and providing means for calibrating said device, said operable member comprising a valve member, said support means having a conical valve seat, said valve member comprising a ball disposed in said valve seat, said bimetal member having the other end thereof bearing against said ball to tend to hold said ball against said seat with a biasing force thereof that varies in accordance with the temperature being sensed thereby.

4. A temperature responsive device comprising support means, a lever carried by said support means and having opposed ends, a bimetal member having opposed ends one of which is secured to one of said ends of said lever, an operable member being carried by said support means and being operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, and a calibration member securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever and providing means for calibrating said device, said opposed ends of said lever bearing against said support means.

5. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 4 wherein the part of said support means that is engaged by said one end of said lever comprises a cam surface.

6. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said cam surface part of said support means is adjustable for temperature selection purposes of said device.

7. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said cam surface part of said support means comprises a sector-like part rotatably moUnted to said support means, said cam surface being disposed in an arcuate manner on said part.

8. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said one end of said lever makes a single point contact with said support means and said other end of said lever makes a two point contact with said support means.

9. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said support means has a pair of spaced apart conical abutments projecting therefrom, said other end of said lever having a pair of spaced apart openings therein respectively receiving said abutments therein to provide said two point contact with said support means.

10. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said lever has a tongue formed therefrom intermediate said ends thereof, said tongue having an opening passing therethrough and receiving said calibration member whereby said tongue provides a resilient mounting for said lever to said support means by said calibration member.

11. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the other end of said bimetal member extends toward said other end of said lever and operates said operable member.

12. A temperature responsive device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said tongue of said lever is substantially triangular with only the base thereof being hinged to the remainder of said lever in a facing direction toward said other end of said lever, said opening in said tongue being near the apex of the triangular tongue so that the effective bend line of said lever is between said calibration member and said other end of said lever.

13. A method for making a temperature responsive device comprising the steps of providing support means and a lever to be carried by said support means and having opposed ends, securing one end of a bimetal member to one end of said lever, securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever solely by a calibration member that also provides means for calibrating said device whereby an operable member carried by said support means is operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, forming a tongue from said lever intermediate said ends thereof, forming an opening through said tongue, and disposing said calibration member in said opening whereby said tongue provides a resilient mounting for said lever to said support means by said calibration member.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said operable member comprises a ball valve member.

15. A method for making a temperature responsive device comprising the steps of providing support means and a lever to be carried by said support means and having opposed ends, securing one end of a bimetal member to one end of said lever, securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever solely by a calibration member that also provides means for calibrating said device whereby an oerable member carried by said support means is operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, said operable member comprising a ball valve member, forming a conical valve seat on said support means, and disposing said ball valve member in said valve seat, said securing step causing said bimetal member to have the other end thereof bear against said ball to tend to hold said ball against said seat with a biasing force thereof that varies in accordance with the temperature being sensed thereby.

16. A method for making a temperature responsive device comprising the steps of providing support means and a lever to be carried by said support means and having opposed ends, securing one end of a bimetal member to one end of said lever, and securing said lever to said support means intermediate said ends of said lever solely by a calibration member that also provides means for calibrating said device whereby an operable member carried by said support means is operatively associated with said bimetal member to be operated thereby, said step of securinG said lever to said support means causing the opposed ends of said lever to bear against said support means.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 including the step of forming the part of said support means that is engaged by said one end of said lever with a cam surface that engages said one end of said lever.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 and including the step of forming said cam surface part of said support means so as to be adjustable for temperature selection purposes of said device.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 and including the steps of forming said cam surface part of said support means as a sector-like part, rotatably mounting said part to said support means, and forming said cam surface in an arcuate manner on said part.

20. A method as set forth in claim 16 wherein said step of securing said lever to said support means causes one end of said lever to make a single point contact with said support means and said other end of said lever to make a two point contact with said support means.

21. A method as set forth in claim 20 and including the steps of forming said support means with a pair of spaced apart conical abutments projecting therefrom, and forming the other end of said lever with a pair of spaced apart openings therein that respectively receive said abutments therein to provide said two point contact with said support means.

22. A method as set forth in claim 16 and including the steps of forming a tongue from said lever intermediate said ends thereof, forming on opening through said tongue, and disposing said calibration member in said opening whereby said tongue provides a resilient mounting for said lever to said support means by said calibration member.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the other end of said bimetal member extends toward said other end of said lever and operates said operable member.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of forming said tongue causes said tongue of said lever to be substantially triangular with only the base thereof being hinged to the remainder of said lever in a facing direction toward said other end of said lever, said step of forming said opening in said tongue causing said opening in said tongue to be near the apex of the traingular tongue so that the effective bend line of said lever is between said calibration member and said other end of said lever.

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