Twin-nozzle gas switch for a barbeque grill

Abstract

A twin-nozzle gas switch includes a unitary switch base, a pair of nozzles, a pair of valve members, a pair of cover members, and a pair of control rods. The switch base includes a pair of valve seats, each having a gas regulating section and a gas outlet section, and a tubular conduit connected integrally to the valve seats. Each nozzle is mounted at a respective gas outlet section. Each valve member is mounted rotatably in a respective gas regulating section. Each cover member is mounted at a respective gas regulating section. Each control rod extends through a respective cover member, and is connected to a respective valve member.

1 . A twin-nozzle gas switch, comprising: 
 a unitary switch base including 
 a pair of spaced apart valve seats, each of which has a gas regulating section and a gas outlet section extending from said gas regulating section, said gas regulating section being formed with a valve hole that defines a first axis, said gas outlet section being formed with a gas outlet that defines a second axis, said first axes of said valve holes of said valve seats being parallel to each other, said second axes of said gas outlets of said valve seats being parallel to each other, and  
 a tubular conduit connected integrally to said valve seats, said tubular conduit defining a central axis that is transverse said first axes, and having a connecting portion that is in fluid communication with said gas regulating sections of said valve seats, and an extension portion that is in fluid communication with said gas regulating section of one of said valve seats and that extends outwardly from said one of said valve seats, said connecting portion being formed with a gas inlet that is transverse to said central axis, said extension portion having one end remote from said one of said valve seats and formed with an opening;  
   a plug for closing said opening;    a pair of nozzles, each of which is mounted at one end of said gas outlet of a respective one of said valve seats that is remote from said gas regulating section of the respective one of said valve seats;    a pair of valve members, each of which is mounted rotatably in said valve hole of a respective one of said valve seats, each of said valve members being formed with a regulating hole to be registered with said tubular conduit, and a flow hole extending along said first axis of said valve hole of the respective one of said valve seats and in fluid communication with said regulating hole and said gas outlet of the respective one of said valve seats;    a pair of cover members, each of which is mounted at one end of said gas regulating section of a respective one of said valve seats that is remote from said gas outlet section of the respective one of said valve seats, each of said cover members being formed with a rod hole along said first axis of said valve hole of the respective one of said valve seats; and    a pair of control rods, each of which extends through said rod hole in a respective one of said cover members and is connected to a respective one of said valve members.    
   
   
       2 . The twin-nozzle gas switch as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a pair of mounting panels, each of which is mounted to a respective one of said cover members; and    a pair of ignition units, each of which is mounted on a respective one of said mounting panels.    
   
   
       3 . The twin-nozzle gas switch as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each of said mounting panels is formed with a mounting hole that extends in a transverse direction with respect to a respective one of said control rods and that permits extension of the respective one of said control rods therethrough, and a tab that extends in the transverse direction into said mounting hole and that is disposed at one end of said mounting hole.  
   
   
       4 . The twin-nozzle gas switch as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein each of said ignition units includes: 
 an actuator sleeved on a respective one of said control rods;    a plunger member mounted slidably in said mounting hole of the respective one of said mounting panels and acted upon by said actuator;    a biasing member having one end connected to said tab of the respective one of said mounting panels, and an opposite end abutting against said plunger member; and    an igniter retained on the respective one of said mounting panels and associated operably with said plunger member.    
   
   
       5 . The twin-nozzle gas switch as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an adaptor connected threadedly to said gas inlet.  
   
   
       6 . The twin-nozzle gas switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said first and second axes of each of said valve seats form an obtuse angle therebetween.  
   
   
       7 . The twin-nozzle gas switch as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said switch base is formed integrally by casting.