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A coolant flow valve for controlling the distribution and flow of coolant to replace the radiator thermostat and heater valve currently used in automotive applications. The valve includes a valve rotor rotationally received in a valve housing wherein the rotational orientation thereof determines whi

A coolant flow valve for controlling the distribution and flow of coolant to replace the radiator thermostat and heater valve currently used in automotive applications. The valve includes a valve rotor rotationally received in a valve housing wherein the rotational orientation thereof determines which combination of flow paths through four different outlet ports is selected.

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A coolant flow valve for controlling the distribution and flow of coolant to replace the radiator thermostat and heater valve currently used in automotive applications. The valve includes a valve rotor rotationally received in a valve housing wherein the rotational orientation thereof determines whi

A coolant flow valve for controlling the distribution and flow of coolant to replace the radiator thermostat and heater valve currently used in automotive applications. The valve includes a valve rotor rotationally received in a valve housing wherein the rotational orientation thereof determines which combination of flow paths through four different outlet ports is selected. wall at one end of the sleeve, said end wall having an opening therethrough for receiving said nipple, said end wall radially outwardly adjacent said opening axially facing the shoulder of said nipple when said nipple is connected to said cylinder valve, said passageway including a pressure responsive shutoff valve for closing said passageway in response to a predetermined pressure differential across said shutoff valve, and heat transfer means between said end wall of said coupling nut and said shoulder for transferring heat to said end wall for releasing said nipple for displacement away from said cylinder valve in the direction downstream of said nipple in response to exposure of the coupling nut to a temperature in excess of a predetermined temperature. 2. A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined pressure differential is not greater than 15 psi. 3. A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined temperature is between 240° F. and 300° F. 4. A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said coupling nut is plastic. 5. A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said heat transfer means includes a heat transfer element between said end wall and said shoulder of said nipple. 6. A coupling according to claim 5, wherein said heat transfer element is a metal washer having an opening therethrough for receiving said nipple and a radially outer periphery adjacent said sleeve of said coupling nut. 7. A coupling according to claim 6, wherein said coupling nut is polycarbonate. 8. A coupling according to claim 7, wherein said washer is annealed brass. 9. A coupling according to claim 6, wherein said washer has a radially inner edge portion extending about said opening therethrough and a radially outer portion between said inner edge portion and said outer periphery of said washer, said inner edge portion having a radial dimension less than the radial dimension of said radially outer portion. 10. A coupling according to claim 9, wherein said washer is annealed brass. 11. A coupling according to claim 10, wherein said plastic is polycarbonate. 12. A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said passageway has upstream and downstream ends and said pressure responsive shutoff valve includes means providing a valve seat coaxial with said axis and facing said upstream end of said passageway, and a flexible valve plate on the upstream side of said valve seat, said valve plate having peripheral edge means axially captured in said passageway. 13. A coupling according to claim 12, wherein said valve plate has a first position in which said plate is planar and transverse to said axis and a said second position in which said plate is concave in the direction from said upstream end toward said downstream end of said passageway. 14. A coupling according to claim 12, wherein said valve plate is metal. 15. A coupling according to claim 14, wherein said metal is stainless steel. 16. A coupling according to claim 12, wherein said valve seat is annular and said valve plate includes spaced apart arcuate opposite ends and spaced apart parallel linear side edges, said opposite ends providing said edge means. 17. A coupling according to claim 12, wherein said shutoff valve includes an annular recess surrounding said seat and facing upstream of said passageway, said recess having an outer diameter, and said valve plate having opposite ends spaced apart a distance greater than said diameter and opposite side edges spaced apart a distance less than said diameter, said opposite ends providing said edge means. 18. A coupling according to claim 17, wherein said opposite ends are arcuate and said opposite side edges are linear. 19. A coupling according to claim 18, wherein said valve plate is stainless steel. 20. A coupling according to claim 1, wherein said passageway has upstream and downstream ends and said pressure responsive shutoff valve includes a valve assembly received in said upstream end of said passageway, said valve assembly co mprising a body member having an end wall transverse to said axis and an annular side wall extending in the upstream direction from said end wall, an opening through said end wall coaxial with said axis, a valve seat surrounding said opening on the upstream side of said end wall, a flexible planar valve plate upstream of said valve seat, and means including an orifice insert in said body member for supporting said valve plate in a first position in which said valve plate is planar and spaced upstream from said seat, said valve plate having a second position engaging said seat to close said passageway and in which said valve plate is concave in the direction from said upstream end toward said downstream end of said passageway. 21. A coupling according to claim 20, wherein said body member includes a recess surrounding said seat and facing in the upstream direction, said recess having a radially outer peripheral wall, said body member including a radially outwardly extending circumferential shoulder intersecting said peripheral wall in a plane transverse to said axis and spaced in the upstream direction from said seat, said orifice insert having a downstream end overlying said shoulder, and said valve plate being captured between said shoulder and said downstream end of said orifice insert. 22. A coupling according to claim 21, wherein said shoulder has a radially outer edge having a given diameter and said valve plate has diametrically opposite edge portions overlying said shoulder and having radially outer edges spaced apart a distance less than said given diameter. 23. A coupling according to claim 22, wherein said shoulder has a radially inner edge and said valve plate includes edge means between said diametrically opposite edge portions and spaced radially inwardly from said radially inner edge. 24. A coupling according to claim 23, wherein said edge means includes parallel spaced apart linear edges. 25. A coupling according to claim 24, wherein said valve plate is stainless steel. 26. A coupling according to claim 21, wherein said valve plate is stainless steel. 27. A coupling for connecting a cylinder valve on an LPG tank to the inlet of a pressure regulator for gas consuming equipment, comprising a nipple having an upstream end for connection with the cylinder valve and a downstream end for connection with the pressure regulator, said nipple having an axis and a passageway axially therethrough having upstream and downstream ends, said nipple having a radially outwardly extending shoulder between the ends thereof, a plastic coupling nut for connecting said nipple to the cylinder valve, said coupling nut having an internally threaded sleeve, and a radially extending end wall at one end of the sleeve, said end wall having an opening therethrough for receiving said nipple, said end wall having an axially inner side, a heat transfer element on said inner side having an opening therethrough for receiving said nipple and a radially outer periphery adjacent said sleeve, said end wall and said heat transfer element radially outwardly adjacent said opening axially engaging against the shoulder of said nipple when said nipple is connected to said cylinder valve, a pressure responsive shutoff valve in said passageway including a valve seat coaxial with said axis and facing said upstream end of said passageway and a valve plate on the upstream side of said valve seat, said valve plate having a first position spaced from said valve seat and a second position engaging said valve seat to close said passageway in response to a pressure differential across said shutoff valve of no more than 15 psi, and said end wall of said coupling nut and said heat transfer element being responsive to a temperature between 240° F. and 300° F. to release said nipple for displacement away from said cylinder valve in the direction downstream of said nipple. 28. A coupling according to claim 27, wherein said plastic coupling nut is polycarbonate. 29. A co upling according to claim 28, wherein said heat transfer element is annealed brass. 30. A coupling according to claim 27, wherein said shutoff valve includes an annular recess surrounding said seat and facing upstream of said passageway, said recess having an outer diameter, and said valve plate having arcuate opposite ends spaced apart a distance greater than said diameter and linear side edges between said ends and parallel and spaced apart a distance less than said diameter. 31. A coupling according to claim 30, wherein said valve plate is stainless steel. 32. A coupling according to claim 27, wherein said pressure responsive shutoff valve includes a valve assembly received in said upstream end of said passageway, said valve assembly comprising a body member having an end wall transverse to said axis and an annular side wall extending in the upstream direction from said end wall, an opening through said end wall coaxial with said axis, a valve seat surrounding said opening on the upstream side of said end wall, and means including an orifice insert in said body member for supporting said valve plate relative to said valve seat. 33. A coupling according to claim 32, wherein said body member includes a recess surrounding said seat and facing in the upstream direction, said recess having a radially outer peripheral wall, said body member including a radially outwardly extending circumferential shoulder intersecting said peripheral wall in a plane transverse to said axis and spaced in the upstream direction from said seat, said orifice insert having a downstream end overlying said shoulder, and said valve plate being captured between said shoulder and said downstream end of said orifice insert. 34. A coupling according to claim 33, wherein said shoulder has a radially outer edge having a given diameter and a radially inner edge, said valve plate having diametrically opposite edge portions overlying said shoulder and having radially outer arcuate edges spaced apart a distance less than said given diameter and parallel spaced apart linear side edges between said edge portions and spaced radially inwardly from said inner edge of said shoulder. 35. A coupling according to claim 34, wherein said valve plate is stainless steel. 36. A coupling according to claim 35, wherein said plastic coupling nut is polycarbonate and said heat transfer element is annealed brass. 37. A coupling for connecting a cylinder valve on an LPG tank to the inlet of a pressure regulator for gas consuming equipment, comprising a nipple having an upstream end for connection with the cylinder valve and a downstream end for connection with the pressure regulator, said nipple having an axis and a passageway axially therethrough having upstream and downstream ends, said nipple having a radially outwardly extending shoulder between the ends thereof, a coupling nut for connecting said nipple to the cylinder valve, said coupling nut having an internally threaded sleeve and a radially extending end wall at one end of the sleeve, said end wall having an opening therethrough for receiving said nipple, a pressure responsive shutoff valve in said passageway including a valve seat coaxial with said axis and facing said upstream end of said passageway and a valve plate on the upstream side of said valve seat, an annular recess surrounding said seat and facing upstream of said passageway, said recess having an outer diameter, said valve plate having arcuate opposite ends spaced apart a distance greater than said diameter and linear side edges between said ends and parallel and spaced apart a distance less than said diameter, and said valve plate having a first position spaced from said valve seat and a second position engaging said valve seat to close said passageway in response to a pressure differential across said shutoff valve of no more than 15 psi. 38. A coupling according to claim 37, wherein said valve plate is stainless steel. 39. A coupling according to claim 37, wh erein said pressure responsive shutoff valve includes a valve assembly received in said upstream end of said passageway, said valve assembly comprising a body member having an end wall transverse to said axis and an annular side wall extending in the up stream direction from said end wall, an opening through said end wall coaxial with said axis, said valve seat surrounding said opening on the upstream side of said end wall, and means including an orifice insert in said body member for supporting the arcuate opposite ends of said valve plate relative to said valve seat. 40. A coupling according to claim 39, wherein said recess has a radially outer peripheral wall and said body member includes a radially outwardly extending circumferential shoulder intersecting said peripheral wall in a plane transverse to said axis and spaced in the upstream direction from said seat, said orifice insert having a downstream end overlying said shoulder, and said arcuate opposite ends of said valve plate being captured between said shoulder and said downstream end of said orifice insert. 41. A coupling according to claim 40, wherein said shoulder has a radially outer edge having a shoulder diameter and a radially inner edge, said arcuate opposite ends of said valve plate overlying said shoulder and being spaced apart a distance less than said shoulder diameter, and said side edges between said ends being spaced radially inwardly from said inner edge of said shoulder. 42. A coupling according to claim 41, wherein said valve plate is stainless steel. 43. A coupling for connecting a cylinder valve on an LPG tank to the inlet of a pressure regulator for gas consuming equipment, comprising a nipple having an upstream end for connection with the cylinder valve and a downstream end for connection with the pressure regulator, said nipple having an axis and a passageway axially therethrough having upstream and downstream ends, said nipple having a radially outwardly extending shoulder between the ends thereof, a plastic coupling nut for connecting said nipple to the cylinder valve, said coupling nut having an internally threaded sleeve and a radially extending end wall at one end of the sleeve, said end wall having an opening therethrough for receiving said nipple, said end wall having an axially inner side, a heat transfer element on said inner side having an opening therethrough for receiving said nipple and a radially outer periphery adjacent said sleeve, said end wall and said heat transfer element radially outwardly adjacent said opening axially engaging against the shoulder of said nipple when said nipple is connected to said cylinder valve, and said end wall of said coupling nut and said heat transfer element being responsive to a temperature between 240° F. and 300° F. to release said nipple for displacement away from said cylinder valve in the direction downstream of said nipple. 44. A coupling according to claim 43, wherein said plastic coupling nut is polycarbonate. 45. A coupling according to claim 43, wherein said heat transfer element is annealed brass. 46. A coupling according to claim 43, wherein said plastic coupling nut is polycarbonate and said heat transfer element is annealed brass. spools.