Patents Examined by James R. Shay
  • Patent number: 4488575
    Abstract: The invention concerns a volume flow regulator for ventilation systems with a conduit section (1) in which a regulating part (3) is pivotably mounted about an axle (2) which bisects the conduit cross section, whereby the regulating part (3) has a basically even surface on its leading side and a length which corresponds to the conduit height.In order to reduce the noises produced by the volume flow regulator itself, the regulating part (3) has a semicircular section in a plane vertical to its pivot axle (2), whereby the section radius corresponds to one half the conduit height. In a rectangular conduit section the regulating part (3) is a semicylinder whose curved contour fits against a conduit wall with a slight amount of play in all regulating positions. The regulating part can be balanced in various ways. In addition, a diffuser (24, 27) can be connected in after it which also functions as a sound absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: Gebr. Trox GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Haaz, Wolfgang Finkelstein, Gregor Baumeister
  • Patent number: 4488573
    Abstract: A rotary plug valve which is of the type comprising a housing formed of a polymer and a rotary plug disposed in a through-passage of the housing. The plug is formed of a polymer and includes a bore selectively alignable with the through-passage to admit the passage of fluid. The plug valve is formed by forming the plug and attaching thereto a preformed polymeric shield by snap-fitting the shield onto the plug. The shield has an inner surface conforming to the periphery of the plug. The plug and shield assembly is positioned within a cavity of a mold. The cavity corresponds to the shape of the housing. A molten polymer is introduced into the cavity and intimately contacts the shield and forms the housing around the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Assignee: Nibco Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Runyan, Paul H. Sloan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4487217
    Abstract: A reversing valve for a combination meter, including a closure element, movable in the axial direction, which is provided with a cylindrical closure ring which in the closed position of the reversing valve covers radially outwardly directed valve openings, and having at least one channel extending essentially axially associated therewith, which channel is closed in the closed position though already after slight shifting of the closure element in the direction of its open position communicates the working chamber of a hydraulic adjustment member with the main flow. The working chamber additionally has a presettable opening which is always open in the direction of the auxiliary flow or total flow. The effective-pressure-cross section of the closure element is suddenly enlarged inwardly during opening, and is reduced in a sudden manner during closing, by having the main flow act on the working chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Hydrometer GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Schmidt
  • Patent number: 4487220
    Abstract: A fuel distribution valve assembly is provided with a laminated thermal buffer member between the valve housing and inner valve means to prevent binding of the valve means from thermal effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Hurst, Jerome R. Bradley
  • Patent number: 4483514
    Abstract: A gate member for a gate valve provides improved sealing by providing for proper orientation of the gate member as it approaches its closed position and then providing improved sealing action as the gate member is closed further. A lip on the gate member overlaps a ledge on the valve body at the opening where the gate member enters the valve chamber. The lip is covered by a seal of resilient material having a cross-sectional shape that cooperates with the valve body to orient the gate member and that controls the compression of the seal between the lip and ledge as the gate member closes further. The shape of the gate member also helps to orient it while it is closing. A spine and a ridged cap of resilient material on the leading edge of the gate member cooperate to prevent blow-by of pressurized fluid when the gate member is closed. Pads integral with the seal contact the corners of the opening initially to orient the gate member and then to fill the corners when the gate member is closed further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Assignee: International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation
    Inventor: Paul G. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 4483513
    Abstract: In a pin connection of a shaft to a closure member on a rotary valve, the recesses in the shaft which receive the pins are shaped such that one of a pair of pins are placed in compression versus shear for rotation of the shaft in a respective direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Assignee: General Signal Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony C. Summers
  • Patent number: 4481969
    Abstract: The safety device is disposable in the gas line connecting between a gas source under pressure and a tapping device installed in a keg. The safety device includes a valve housing carrying a spring biased, axially movable piston assembly including a valve body and an axially movable stem element. Upon an increase in gas line pressure above a predetermined pressure, the gas acts on the piston assembly to displace it as a unit in an upstream direction against the bias of the spring to seal the stem against a primary valve seat element and preclude further ingress of gas into the keg. However, should the primary valve seat element leak, due to wear or contamination, causing pressure within the system to increase, the valve body will move relative to the valve stem to vent the housing to atmosphere and to close a secondary valve seat adapted to positively prevent further fluid flow downstream of the device toward the keg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1984
    Assignee: Draft Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Merton R. Fallon, Thomas W. Clements
  • Patent number: 4480815
    Abstract: A sealing device for valves comprises two co-acting sealing surfaces one of which is arranged facing outwards on a valve body which is pivotally mounted in the valve housing, and the other forming an inwards-facing surface on the seat arranged in the valve housing. When the valve is closed the two sealing surfaces are pressed against each other with a wedge-wise engagement along an engagement line or engagement zone. According to the invention at least one of the sealing surfaces is formed as a segment (S) of a toroidal figure (T) which is defined by a convex or concave curved line (G) which is rotated as a generatrix around an axis of rotation (R), out of which figure the segment is cut so that a plane (A) through the sealing surface, along which the engagement line or engagement zone is located when the valve is closed, is inclined relative to the axis of rotation (R) and is bounded in each and every direction from the latter by the curved line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1984
    Assignee: Saab-Scania Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Sven E. Kreij
  • Patent number: 4478388
    Abstract: A plug valve and method of making same are provided wherein such valve has lip inserts removably installed between an outer housing of the valve and diametrically opposed ports in a plastic sleeve which serves as a liner for the inside surface of the outer housing. The ports are aligned in a flow passage through the valve and a rotatable plug member is rotatably supported within the sleeve. The lip inserts serve the multiple purpose of protecting edge surfaces defining the ports of the sleeve against impingement of fluid flowing through the flow passage, holding the sleeve against rotation, preventing cold flow or extrusion of parts of the plastic sleeve in the flow passage and providing smooth uninterrupted flow of fluid through the valve flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignee: Xomox Corporation
    Inventor: John A. George
  • Patent number: 4477053
    Abstract: A shut-off valve for high temperature erosive flow is disclosed having a valve and a valve engaging or seating portion in which substantial erosion of an area beginning at its initial erosion point adjacent the valve seat does not erode the valve seating portion of the valve seat and the valve seating portion of the valve member to prevent closing of the valve or to cause leaks. The valve has limited but enough universal movement to be self-seating to accommodate thermal growth. The valve and valve seat can be removed from the valve without taking the valve off the line. A number of embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1984
    Assignee: General Signal Corp.
    Inventor: Frank J. Jandrasi
  • Patent number: 4475572
    Abstract: A multiway valve device in which a handle-operated ball member is operatively disposed in a spherical cavity to which a plurality of passages is connected. The ball member is arranged with a single seal ring that encloses a recessed area at one end of the ball that is sized to establish fluid pressure communication between a supply passage and one or the other of a pair of delivery passages depending upon the handle being located in an extreme right- or left-hand position. A vent passage opens into the spherical cavity in the area of the ball opposite the recessed area enclosed by the seal ring to exhaust pressure from whichever delivery passage is cut off from the supply passage. The spherical cavity lies partly in the body of the valve device and partly in a cover portion, which when secured to the body, rotatably supports the ball member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1984
    Assignee: WABCO Steuerungstechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Brausfeld, Helmut Gottling
  • Patent number: 4475568
    Abstract: A pressure reducing and regulating valve having a body with a body cavity and a seal container movable in the cavity. The container includes primary and vent seals. At least one flow plate is positioned in the body adjacent the container and includes primary, secondary and vent ports. The improved seal container has the primary and vent seals positioned in the container on opposite sides of the central axis of the container, allowing the container and thus the body to be of a smaller size, thereby reducing the pressure forces applied against the interior of the body. The primary and vent seals are spaced on opposite sides of the central axis at locations for reducing the side loading forces acting around the central axis as the container is moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1984
    Assignee: Koomey, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald L. Loup
  • Patent number: 4474149
    Abstract: A valve apparatus of a solenoid drive type having a valve member in a housing defining an inlet port and first and second outlet ports. The valve member connects the inlet port to the second outlet port while closing the first outlet port when no electric current is received by the apparatus. The valve member controls the opening of the first outlet port while maintaining the second outlet port closed when an electric current larger than a predetermined offset value is applied to the apparatus. When the electric current is equal to the offset value, the valve member closes both the first and the second outlet ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaharu Idogaki, Hisasi Kawai, Kyo Hattori, Kazuhiro Sakurai
  • Patent number: 4471943
    Abstract: A gate valve and seat therefor, the valve including a valve body defining a longitudinal flowway and a valve element mounted in the valve body and movable transverse to the flowway between open and closed positions. A valve seat is mounted in the valve body for limited axial floating movement with respect to the valve body, the seat comprising a seat body having a generally axially facing contact face for engagement with one side of the valve element. The contact face has an annular groove therein intermediate its radially inner and outer extremities, and the seat body further has at least one vent communicating with the annular groove and extending outwardly therefrom to the radially outer extremity of the seat body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1984
    Assignee: NL Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Norman A. Nelson
  • Patent number: 4469121
    Abstract: A valve for mixing hot and cold water includes a body having hot and cold water inlets and an outlet. A rotatable non-reciprocal valve member is positioned within the body to control the mixture of hot and cold water at the body outlet. There are seal means positioned to form a seal between the body and the valve member at the inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Assignee: Stanadyne, Inc.
    Inventor: Alfred M. Moen
  • Patent number: 4469124
    Abstract: A shut-off valve includes a valve stem or actuating member operatively connected to a pressure-responsive apparatus. The pressure-responsive apparatus is acted upon by fluid in a pressure chamber such that the valve mechanism is held open to permit fluid flow therethrough. A spring or biasing means is provided that automatically closes the valve mechanism whenever the pressure chamber is evacuated or depressurized such that the pressure-responsive apparatus can no longer maintain the shut-off valve in an open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Assignee: Michigan Consolidated Gas Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Bronsky, Dennis B. Clark, Jeffrey A. McKeen
  • Patent number: 4467825
    Abstract: A shuttle valve assembly formed with a body having a plurality of nesting housings, an outlet end housing with a fluid signal outlet and a closed end housing. These housings have an aligned axial passageway containing a plurality of tubular spool valve members which are adapted to move axially between opened and closed positions therein individually and in a nested arrangement. Each of the housings has an inlet signal port in communication with the passageway. The nested valve members are moved toward the closed end housing by a primary fluid signal applied to the inlet port on the closed end housing with the primary signal passing to the outlet. A superior fluid signal applied to the inlet port of one of the nested housings, causes the valve member closer to the closed end housing to separate from the remaining nested valve members. As a result this superior signal appears at the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: The Andy Boyd Company
    Inventor: Andrew B. Boyd
  • Patent number: 4467823
    Abstract: A ball valve comprises a cylindrical casing having an axial bore therethrough for passage of fluids. The ball is mounted between annular upper and lower seats, the latter being compressible and supported by an annular shoulder within the casing. The ball has diametrically opposed slots that receive a pin and a wrench plug, respectively, which are rotatably mounted within diametrically opposed longitudinal apertures in the casing. The ball has a large central bore therethrough whose axis is perpendicular to the ball's rotational axis, so that the fluid path may be opened and closed by rotating the ball. Prior to loading the valve, the ball is in its closed position in which the slots are parallel to the axis of the casing, thereby permitting the ball to float axially between the seats. In order to load the valve under compression, the wrench plug is manually rotated with a wrench until the ball is turned to its open position. This rotation cams the ball downward against the lower seat, compressing the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: Shafco Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Charles D. Shaffer, Ivan Miller
  • Patent number: 4465260
    Abstract: A molded polyethylene valve body has a flow passage connecting an inlet with an outlet of the valve body. A valve seat formed integral with the valve body surrounds the passage and a plastic valve disc is rotatably positioned in the passage for movement into and out of sealing relation with the valve seat to effect closing and opening of the passage between the inlet and outlet. A valve stem is nonrotatably connected at one end to the valve disc and extends through the valve body and projects upwardly therefrom to an upper end portion. An actuator cap is nonrotatably connected to the valve stem upper end portion. An external valve neck portion surrounds the upper end portion of the valve stem and is positioned on the outer surface of the valve body. The neck portion is adapted to rotatably receive and support the actuator cap. A pair of clamp-like leg members of the neck portion extend circumferentially around the surface of the valve body to connect the neck portion to the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1984
    Assignee: Kerotest Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Richard W. Conley, Richard P. Tremblay
  • Patent number: 4463775
    Abstract: A hydrostatic power steering control system with variable feedback compensation employing a unique compensating valve. The steering control system includes first and second hydraulic cylinders, each having two internal chambers denoted as head and feedback chambers. A piston is movably retained in each of the cylinders and is attached to a piston rod which extends outwards. The pair of piston rods are connected to a pair of steerable wheels by a mechanical linkage. Fluid contained in a reservoir is pressurized by a supply pump and is selectively passed to a head chamber of one of the cylinders by a control valve. The control valve is actuated by pressure differences in two interconnected fluid passages which connect to the feedback chambers of the two cylinders. A pressure difference in these passages is created by manually operating a steering wheel which actuates a metering pump positioned across the fluid passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Richard A. Wittren