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A thermostatic control valve assembly for use in continuously mixing a hot first fluid with a cold second fluid to continuously produce a mixed fluid at a constant temperature. The valve assembly includes an improved baffled mixing dome defining a mixing chamber that facilitates thorough mixing of t

A thermostatic control valve assembly for use in continuously mixing a hot first fluid with a cold second fluid to continuously produce a mixed fluid at a constant temperature. The valve assembly includes an improved baffled mixing dome defining a mixing chamber that facilitates thorough mixing of the hot and cold fluids over a wide range of flow rates. Also included is an improved multiple response thermostat having a fast response rate adjacent to the entrance of the mixing dome for responding quickly to the temperature of fluid entering the mixing dome. The valve assembly further includes a piston/cylinder configuration which covers and uncovers internal passageways to control the mixed fluid temperature. The internal passageways are shaped to cause a non-linear change in the mixed fluid temperature in the mixing dome as the piston moves in the cylinder.

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1. A thermostatic control valve assembly for mixing a hot fluid and a cold fluid for discharge at a controlled temperature, the valve assembly comprising: a valve housing having a fluid outlet and separate hot and cold fluid inlets;said valve housing including a mixing chamber in fluid communication

1. A thermostatic control valve assembly for mixing a hot fluid and a cold fluid for discharge at a controlled temperature, the valve assembly comprising: a valve housing having a fluid outlet and separate hot and cold fluid inlets;said valve housing including a mixing chamber in fluid communication with said outlet;flow control valve means, fluidly coupled with said hot and cold fluid inlets and said mixing chamber, for controllably mixing hot and cold fluid received through said hot fluid inlet and said cold fluid inlet, respectively, and supplying the mixed fluid to said mixing chamber; anda multiple response thermostat disposed within said mixing chamber between said outlet and said flow control valve means, said multiple response thermostat including a first thermostat portion having a first response rate and a second thermostat portion having a second faster response rate, said first thermostat portion being connected in series with said second thermostat portion and said second thermostat portion being operably connected to said flow control valve means. 2. The thermostatic control valve assembly of claim 1, wherein said multiple response thermostat includes a thermal coil containing first and second volumes of temperature sensitive fluid corresponding to said first and second response rates, respectively. 3. The thermostatic control valve assembly of claim 2, wherein: said first thermostat portion includes a first cylinder having a first external diameter;said second thermostat portion includes a second cylinder attached to said first cylinder and having a second smaller external diameter; andsaid thermal coil is wrapped about said first and second cylinders. 4. The thermostatic control valve assembly of claim 3, wherein said thermal coil includes a first cross-sectional diameter corresponding to said first response rate of said first thermostat portion and a second smaller cross-sectional diameter corresponding to said second response rate of said second thermostat portion. 5. The thermostatic control valve assembly of claim 1, and further comprising means for turning the fluid flow through said mixing chamber, said means for turning including a plurality of baffles sequentially arranged in said mixing chamber between said flow control valve means and said multiple response thermostat. 6. A valve assembly for mixing a hot fluid and a cold fluid for discharge at a controlled temperature, the valve assembly comprising: a valve housing having a fluid outlet and separate hot and cold fluid inlets;a cylinder extending longitudinally through said valve housing and defining a cylindrical bore in fluid communication with said outlet;a piton movably disposed in said cylindrical bore;a first fluid passageway fluidly coupling said hot fluid inlet to said cylindrical bore;a first fluid orifice disposed in either said piston or said cylinder between said first fluid passageway and said cylindrical bore;a second fluid passageway fluidly coupling said cold fluid inlet to said cylindrical bore; anda second orifice disposed in either said piston or said cylinder between said second fluid passageway and said cylindrical bore;wherein one of said first or second fluid orifices has a shape such that the fluid flow rate through said one of said first or second fluid orifices varies linearly with respect to the fluid flow rate through the other of said first or second fluid orifices as said piston moves through a first piston of its travel in said cylindrical bore and varies non-linearly with respect to the fluid flow rate through the other of said first or second fluid orifices as said piston moves through a second portion of its travel in said cylindrical bore. 7. The valve assembly of claim 6, wherein said shape is hexagonal. 8. The valve assembly of claim 6, and further comprising means for turning the fluid flow through said cylindrical bore, said means for turning including a plurality of baffles sequentially arranged in said cylindrical bore. 9. A thermostatic control valve assembly for mixing a hot fluid and a cold fluid for discharge at a controlled temperature, the valve assembly comprising: a valve housing having a fluid outlet and separate hot and cold fluid inlets;a cylinder extending longitudinally through said valve housing and defining a cylindrical bore in fluid communication with said outlet;a piston movably disposed in said cylindrical bore;a multiple response thermostat disposed within said cylindrical bore, said multiple response thermostat including a first thermostat portion having a first response rate and a second thermostat portion having a second faster response rate, said first thermostat portion being connected in series with said second thermostat portion and said second thermostat portion being operably connected to said piston;a first fluid passageway fluidly coupling said hot fluid inlet to said cylindrical bore;a first fluid orifice disposed in either said piston or said cylinder between said first fluid passageway and said cylindrical bore;a second fluid passageway fluidly coupling said cold fluid inlet to said cylindrical bore; anda second fluid orifice disposed in either said piston or said cylinder between said second fluid passageway and said cylindrical bore;wherein one of said first or second fluid orifices has a shape such that the fluid flow rate through said one of said first or second fluid orifices varies non-linearly with respect to the fluid flow rate through the other of said first or second fluid orifices as said piston moves in said cylindrical bore, thereby causing a corresponding non-linear change in the mixed fluid temperature in said cylindrical bore. 10. The thermostatic control valve assembly of claim 9, wherein said multiple response thermostat includes a thermal coil containing first and second volumes of temperature sensitive fluid corresponding to said first and second response rates, respectively. 11. The thermostatic control valve assembly of claim 10, wherein: said first thermostat portion includes a first cylinder having a first external diameter;said second thermostat portion includes a second cylinder attached to said first cylinder and having a second smaller external diameter; andsaid thermal coil is wrapped about said first and second cylinders. 12. The thermostatic control valve assembly of claim 11, wherein said thermal coil includes a first cross-sectional diameter corresponding to said first response rate of said first thermostat portion and a second smaller cross-sectional diameter corresponding to said second response rate of said second thermostat portion. 13. The thermostatic control valve assembly of claim 9, wherein said shape is circular. 14. The valve assembly of claim 9, wherein one of said first or second fluid orifices has a shape such that the fluid flow rate through said one of said first or second fluid orifices varies linearly with respect to the fluid flow rate through the other of said first or second fluid orifices as said piston moves through a first portion of its travel in said cylindrical bore and varies non-linearly with respect to the fluid flow rate through the other of said first or second fluid orifices as said piston moves through a second portion of its travel in said cylindrical bore. 15. The valve assembly of claim 14, wherein said shape is hexagonal. 16. The valve assembly of claim 9, and further comprising means for turning the fluid flow through said cylindrical bore, said means for turning including a plurality of baffles sequentially arranged in said cylindrical bore between said piston and said multiple response thermostat.