Patents Examined by Robert G. Nilson
  • Patent number: 5544673
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a nozzle assembly comprising a housing including a central bore having, at one end thereof, a valve seat, an elongated needle member having, at one end thereof, a valve portion engageable with the valve seat, and having, at the other end thereof, an end portion, a retainer member having therein a bore receiving the end portion of the needle, and being fixed to the end portion of the needle, and a spring acting between the housing and the retainer member to bias the valve portion into engagement with the valve seat, and a method of assembly therefor comprising the steps of locating the needle member in the bore in the housing with the valve portion in engagement with the valve seat and with the end portion extending from the housing, locating the spring in surrounding relation to the end portion of the needle member and in operative engagement with the housing, locating the retainer member with the end portion of the needle member passing through the bore in the retainer member, spacing the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Outboard Marine Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher R. Irgens
  • Patent number: 5538027
    Abstract: A pressure balancing foam valve includes a body having a liquid inlet at one end and a liquid outlet at an opposite end, and having an annular passage therethrough. A first stage pressure regulating assembly is disposed within the annular passage of the valve and includes a shaft that is attached at a first end to the liquid inlet. A one-piece pressure disc is slidably disposed on the shaft. The disc is urged into a seated position against an end portion of the liquid inlet by a spring interposed between the pressure disc and a second end of the shaft. The spring is selected so that the pressure disc is placed into the seated position during low pressure conditions to prevent liquid flow through the valve, and to permit compression by force of the disc from increasing liquid pressure to unseat the disc and permit liquid flow through the valve. A second stage pressure regulator is a venturi-shaped annular passage through a wall portion of the liquid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Inventors: Keith W. Adamson, John R. Grindley
  • Patent number: 5535772
    Abstract: A venting control system is provided for controlling discharge of fuel vapors from a vehicle fuel tank. The system includes a vent apparatus mountable in an aperture formed in the top wall of the fuel tank. The vent apparatus is formed to include a vapor inlet opening communicating with an interior region of the fuel tank, a vapor outlet opening, and a passageway interconnecting the vapor inlet and outlet openings. The system further includes a tubular skirt having an uppermost end coupled to the vent apparatus and a lowermost end and a fill-limit valve assembly coupled to the lowermost end of the tubular skirt. The tubular skirt and the fill-limit valve assembly are positioned to lie in the interior region of the fuel tank when the vent apparatus is mounted in the top wall aperture of the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Roetker, Robert S. Harris
  • Patent number: 5529091
    Abstract: A body, having ported plates astride a third plate having a void formed therein, confines a ball-type valving element therein, in a chamber defined by the void. Ports in the ported plates open onto the chamber, and the ported plate on the outlet side of the valve further has a metering orifice formed therein which opens onto the chamber. Fluid flow proceeds from the plate on the inlet side, through the chamber, and out through the metering orifice. The configuration, for a given fluid having a prescribed forward pressure differential, controls the flow rate. Additionally, the pressure differential securely holds the valving element on its valve-open seat, and substantially diminishes false closing and ball chatter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventor: Alan C. Anderson
  • Patent number: 5526838
    Abstract: A pilot signal control assembly (10) controls the pilot signal of a valve (18) which is connected to regulator, typically a booster regulator (12). The valve (18) receives air from an air supply (14) and, pursuant to an error signal (E(t)) , defined as the command signal (C(t)) less a modified feedback signal (F(t)) , modifies its output, the pilot pressure signal. The booster regulator (12) receives the pilot pressure signal and modifies its output (P.sub.o (t)) accordingly. A feedback loop (24) transforms the output pressure (P.sub.o (t)) into a voltage signal. The voltage signal is multiplied by a proportional factor (A) based on the size of the booster regulator (12). In a signal subloop (30) of the feedback loop (24), the first derivative is taken of the voltage signal. The multiplied signal and the first derivative are added to create the feedback signal (F(t)) which is eventually subtracted from the command signal (C(t)) to create the error signal (E(t)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Mac Valves, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael E. Robert
  • Patent number: 5524659
    Abstract: The present invention provides a flow control valve which makes it possible to prevent the leakage of hydraulic fluid when the valve is closed while continuously controlling the flow rate. An axially slidable piston (12) housed in a housing (11) provided with a first port (13) and second port (16) is urged by an electromagnet (20). A first closing valve (14) for connecting and isolating the first port (13) and first fluid chamber (A), with a valve seat portion (14C) opened opposite one end portion of the piston (12) in the first fluid chamber (A) and a valve body (14B) which is seated in and separated from the valve seat portion in accordance with the axial displacement of the piston (12), is provided between the first port (13) and the first fluid chamber (A). An orifice (15) is provided in the conduit connecting the first fluid chamber (A) and the second fluid chamber (B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Takata, Koichi Hashida
  • Patent number: 5524863
    Abstract: A rotatable flow control valve mechanism is provided having a valve body having a valve chamber and straight through flow passages intersecting the valve chamber. A rotatable valve element, which may be of straight, spherical or tapered configuration, is positioned for rotation within the valve chamber and is sealed with respect to the valve body by sealing elements that surround the flow passages. The rotary valve element defines a straight through flowway that is aligned with the flow passages of the valve body in the fully open condition of the valve and permits unobstructed flow through the valve and, when the flowway has a dimension at least as great as the dimension of the flow passage, permits objects such as pigs and scrapers to pass through the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Daniel Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald W. Davis
  • Patent number: 5522417
    Abstract: An anti-spilling valve for a vehicle fuel tank includes a cylindrical valve chamber having an upper wall at its upper end and closed at its lower end by a filter, an upwardly directed exhaust passage for fuel vapor formed at the center of the upper wall of the cylindrical valve chamber, a connecting pipe provided on the upper wall of the cylindrical valve chamber to extend radially outward and to have its inner end communicate with the upper end of the exhaust passage at a right angle, the inside diameters of the exhaust passage and the connecting pipe being equal, a float housed in the cylindrical valve chamber to be vertically movable and having on its upper surface a valve head adapted for closing the lower end of the exhaust passage, and a valve seat ring attached to the lower end of the exhaust passage closed by the valve head of the float, the valve seat ring having a smaller inside diameter than the exhaust passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tomioka, Atsushi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5522419
    Abstract: An improved venturi eductor for proportional dispensing of chemicals into flowing water includes a large anti-siphoning air gap section. The air gap section includes an outer wall and an inner wall with a gap between the walls. Both walls include offset vents or windows that provide an indirect path from the center of the air gap to the exterior of the eductor. The eductor is made from several molded parts that may be assembled without requiring machining. Further, eductor has a unique spray shield design that more effectively controls water splash in the eductor section and simplifies assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Hydro Systems Company
    Inventor: William F. Sand
  • Patent number: 5518031
    Abstract: This three-way pneumatic solenoid valve comprises: a first inlet (1) connected to a first pressure source (A); a second inlet (2) connected to a second pressure source (D); an outlet (3) connected to a chamber at controlled pressure (C); a hollow body (4) into which t here emerges each of the paths so as to be set in communication therein in a selective fashion with at least one other path; and an electromagnet (5) secured to the body and including a core plunger (5a) capable of actuating means suitable for establishing the selective communication.The latter essentially comprise a stationary valve (6) and a movable valve (7) housed in the hollow body, the stationary valve being capable of being open when the movable valve is closed and vice-versa, and these valves being defined by a shaft (60), a tubular and movable stopper member (67), and a sealed surface (70) actuated by the electromagnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Europe Services Techniques
    Inventors: Philippe Castel, Gilbert Kervagoret
  • Patent number: 5518018
    Abstract: A fuel vapor control valve is provided for controlling the flow of fuel vapor and liquid fuel through an aperture in a fuel tank. The fuel vapor control valve includes a housing mounted in the aperture. The housing is formed to include an inlet in fluid communication with the fuel tank and an outlet. A valve is movable in the housing between a blocking position blocking flow of fuel vapor between the inlet and the outlet and a venting position allowing flow of fuel vapor between the inlet and the outlet. The fuel vapor control valve also includes a spring for biasing the valve toward its blocking position and a mechanism for using fuel vapor from the fuel tank to move the valve toward its venting position. A ball is movably positioned in the venting control chamber to selectively interrupt the fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Stant Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Roetker
  • Patent number: 5518026
    Abstract: A one-way check valve assembly for use in the filler pipe of a vehicle fuel system to prevent liquid fuel from backing up the filler pipe. The check valve assembly includes a valve member formed from a resilient material, normally biased to a closed position in sealing engagement with the interior surface of the filler pipe flow passage, and forced open during refueling by the flow of fuel through the filler pipe inlet to the fuel tank. In a preferred form the valve member comprises a thin-walled flexible membrane formed in butterfly fashion about a central pivot member in the filler pipe. In an illustrative form the individual wings or sides of the valve member are semi-elliptical and in the closed position are angled downstream from the pivot point, conforming to the filler pipe contour in sealing fashion as angular sections of the flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: G. T. Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert P. Benjey
  • Patent number: 5513672
    Abstract: A valve assembly for controlling volume flow from a discharge device to an actuator and including a discharge throttle, and a flow control valve for controlling flow through the throttle and having a piston, and end portion of which overlaps a channel for returning excess fluid to a suction side of the discharge device and has an end region forming a seated valve preventing leakage past the end region, when the end region completely overlaps the return channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1996
    Assignee: LUK Fahrzeug-Hydraulik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Van Doan Nguyen, Yuejin Gong, Randolf Kortge, Hans-Jurgen Lauth, Gerhard Overdiek, Willi Parsch, Thomas Nied-Menninger
  • Patent number: 5511575
    Abstract: The invention disclosed relates to an apparatus for permitting uninterrupted relief of cargo tank compartment internal pressures while also preventing the leakage of lading from the cargo tank to the surrounding atmosphere during sudden increases in the cargo tank internal pressure. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cargo tank compartment pressure relief valve comprises a flow chamber coupled to an opening in the cargo tank compartment wall, wherein the flow chamber has a first opening in flow communication with the tank compartment and a second opening in flow communication with the atmosphere, whereby the first opening is under the control of a downwardly biased first vent head and the second opening is under the control of a downwardly biased second vent head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Inventors: Roy W. Andenmatten, Ronald P. Andenmatten
  • Patent number: 5509442
    Abstract: A mud saver valve has been developed for controlling flow of drilling fluid through an upper portion of a drill string, the mud saver valve in one aspect has a tubular housing, a ball closure rotatably disposed within the tubular housing, the ball closure having a body, a flow channel therethrough, a first body side and a second body side opposite the first body side, a first lug projecting from the first body side and a second lug projecting from the second body side, a sleeve assembly movably disposed within the tubular housing, the sleeve assembly having a first and a second actuator e.g, dogs, to engage corresponding first and second lugs of the ball closure to open or close the ball closure in response to fluid pressure conditions as well as engagement and disengagement of the tubular housing with the drill pipe against the force of a coil spring disposed within the tubular housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Inventor: Jackson R. Claycomb
  • Patent number: 5509436
    Abstract: An exhalation valve 14 for a filtering face mask 10 has a flexible flap 24 that makes contact with a curved seal ridge 30 of a valve seat 26 when the valve 14 is in the closed position. The curvature of the seal ridge 30 corresponds to a deformation curve exhibited by the flexible flap 24 when secured as a cantilever at one end and exposed at its free portion to a uniform force and/or a force of at least the weight of the free portion of the flexible flap. A seal ridge curvature corresponding to a flexible flap exposed to uniform force allows the flexible flap 24 to exert a generally uniform pressure on the seal ridge to provide a good seal. A seal ridge curvature corresponding to a flexible flap exposed to a force of at least the weight of the flap's free portion allows the flexible flap 24 to be held in an abutting relationship to the seal ridge 30 under any static orientation by a minimum amount of force, thereby providing a face mask 10 with an extraordinary low pressure drop during an exhalation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Daniel A. Japuntich, Vaughn B. Grannis, Harold J. Seppala, Anthony B. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 5509444
    Abstract: A flow through pressure regulator as may be used in a fuel delivery system for a motor vehicle has a contained, but floating ball valve. The ball valve open and closes a central passageway through the diaphragm of the regulator. The diaphragm divides the interior of the regulator into 2 chambers, both of which has fuel. A retainer means supports the ball and allows both axial and radial movement and coupled with a small bias spring seating in a bore, the ball functions to automatically seat itself. The small bias spring does not interfere with the ball valve seating itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Siemens Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Barry S. Robinson, Jan L. Bennett, Christopher T. Vannoy
  • Patent number: 5509445
    Abstract: Valve (10) comprising a housing (20) with an air inlet (23) mounted at the end of a discharge air duct of a domestic appliance, and with an air outlet (24) communicating with the outside. The valve (10) includes a shoulder (41) sealed to the air inlet (23). A ball (42) is received in the housing (20) and is movable on a guide (43 between first and second positions. When there is no airflow from the duct (60), the ball sealingly engages the shoulder (41) under gravity so as to prevent air from being introduced into the duct from outside through gusts of wind. The shoulder (41) and the ball (42) can be made from an insulating material in order to reduce conductive heat loss in cold weather. When the domestic appliance is operating, the ball (42) moves towards the second position under the discharge airflow in order to evacuate said airflow. As soon as the appliance is stopped, the ball (42) resumes automatically its initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Jean-Marc Lamoureux
    Inventor: Leon-Pierre Couet
  • Patent number: 5509443
    Abstract: A pressure regulator for an industrial process system is connected between the industrial process equipment and pollution control equipment and exhibits a pressure inversely related to pressure changes in the pollution control equipment so as to maintain the exit pressure at the process equipment constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Salem Engelhard
    Inventor: Stephen J. Russ
  • Patent number: 5509434
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling and metering gas flowing through a pipeline is provided. The apparatus includes an orifice flow meter for accurately measuring the flow rate of gas through the pipeline within a certain range. The apparatus further includes a turbine flow meter which provides a measurement of the flow rate of the gas flowing through the pipeline over a broad range. A control circuit coupled to the turbine flow meter is provided for evaluating the flow rate to determine whether the flow rate is higher than a predetermined maximum value which can be recorded by the orifice flow meter or lower than a predetermined minimum value which can be recorded by the orifice flow meter. If the flow rate is higher than the predetermined maximum value, the control circuit generates a first voltage signal, if the flow rate is lower than the predetermined minimum value, the control circuit generates a second voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Halliburton Company
    Inventors: Charles L. Boyd, Joseph A. Stewart