From Above Liquid Level Patents (Class 137/176)
  • Patent number: 10006456
    Abstract: A fully-draining check valve with a mushroom assembly having a tapered back edge and a drain line disposed with the lower rim of the drain line below the tapered back edge to ensure no fluid becomes trapped in the check valve when not in use. Additionally, a fully-draining diaphragm pump is disclosed having a drain line configured to drain the lowest point of a product chamber to ensure no fluid becomes trapped in the diaphragm pump when not in use. A method of cleaning a fully-draining diaphragm pump and fully-draining check valve assembly is further disclosed comprising inducing turbulent flow of water, wash solution, and/or sanitizer through the assembly and opening ball valves the drain lines of the fully-draining check valves to vent the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Murzan, Inc.
    Inventor: Alberto Bazan
  • Patent number: 8925569
    Abstract: Disclosed is a safety valve of a low-pressure gas pipe which can be installed in a large-scale pipeline through which waste gases generated in a large-scale factory such as a steel mill flow and can reduce maintenance/management costs. The safety valve of a low-pressure gas pipe installed in a waste gas pipeline to discharge condensate includes: a first pipeline connected to a bottom surface of the waste gas pipeline and having a waste gas outlet on an inner wall thereof at one side thereof; a second pipeline extending from the first pipeline to be bent and extending in a direction parallel to the first pipeline; and an opening/closing unit for opening or closing the waste gas outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Postech Academy—Industry Foundation
    Inventors: Woon Bong Hwang, Jeong Hwa Seo, Wan Kyun Chung, Dong Seob Kim
  • Patent number: 8419842
    Abstract: An air eliminator including a housing having first and second portions, the housing defining: a chamber, an inlet in fluid communication with the chamber; an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber; and an axis extending from the first portion to the second portion, a float assembly connected to the first portion of the chamber for releasing air from the chamber, and degassing disks stacked within the chamber along an axis, wherein each disk includes a plurality of rings such that the degassing disks cause micro gas pockets in water passing through the chamber to combine into relatively large and buoyant air pockets that collect and pass along the axis to the float assembly for release.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Watts Regulator Company
    Inventors: Steven Castrigno, James Erhardt, Paul J. Lake, Jeffrey A. Scilingo
  • Publication number: 20090159136
    Abstract: A valve assembly comprising a support body (10), a plunger assembly (11) movable relative to the support body in an axial direction parallel with a longitudinal axis of the plunger assembly and said plunger assembly being angularly movable relative to the support body about said longitudinal axis, seal means (34) to provide a fluid seal between the support body and plunger assembly when support body and plunger assembly are in a first position relative to one another, bias means (43) acting on the plunger assembly in said axial direction to urge the plunger assembly in a first direction relative to the support body towards said first position, a fluid flow passage (28) to allow flow of fluid through the valve assembly when the plunger assembly has been moved relative to the support body away from said first position, said support body and plunger assembly having associated therewith respective abutment surfaces (19,31) engagable with one another to hold the valve assembly in an open state when the plunger ass
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Martin O'Donnell, Leslie Frank Checkley
  • Patent number: 7517392
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a breather system and a method of using the system. The assembly has a breather tube, a baffle system at least partially located within the breather tube and a drain back tube connected to the breather tube. The baffle system has a plurality of baffles designed to prevent lubricant from escaping a housing while still allowing air to pass into and out of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group LLC
    Inventors: Matthew L. Neff, Leonard P. Stoehr, Leo Wenstrup
  • Patent number: 7364609
    Abstract: A kit for constructing a de-aerator for a fluid distribution system includes a gas concentrator adapted to be received in chamber of a T-coupling provided with the kit. A cap is provided that closes a cap connector integrally formed with the T-coupling. The cap supports a valve that opens and closes in response to fluctuations of a level of the fluid in the cavity as air is accumulated in the cavity and discharged by an opening of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Inventor: James MacDuff
  • Patent number: 6895816
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting fluid levels in an oil and gas well environment and transmitting a signal to a remote site when sensing that the level has reached a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Inventor: Foy Streetman
  • Patent number: 6893485
    Abstract: A kit for constructing a de-aerator that includes a concentrator is adapted to be connected to a standard pipe coupling. The concentrator is inserted in the path of liquid conveyed through the pipe coupling for aggregating gas, and directing the gas to a cavity. The cavity is encased by the fitting which is a vertical, cylindrical sheath with one end adapted to be inserted into standard pipe couplings, and the other end adapted to be connected with the cap. The cap includes a vent adapted to open and shut in response to lowering and raising of the level of the liquid in the cavity below/above a threshold, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Swabey, Ogilvy, Renault
    Inventor: James MacDuff
  • Patent number: 4915606
    Abstract: A culture medium used for cultivating mushrooms is sterilized by a sterilizing apparatus. The sterilizing apparatus comprises a sterilizing container in which the culture medium is placed, a steam supply pipe for supplying steam in the sterilizing container, an exhaust pipe for exhausting steam and air in the container, and a drain pipe for draining condensate from the container. The drain pipe includes a main pipe having a relatively large diameter and a bypass pipe provided with a trap. The amounts of steam supplying and exhausting and the amount of condensate draining are controlled in accordance with a predetermined mode during the sterilizing processes by regulating valve means mounted to the respective pipes. Two exhaust pipes having different exhausting capacities may be provided in consideration of environmental conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tiyoda Seisakusho
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Shimokawa
  • Patent number: 4751939
    Abstract: A reservoir (1) filled with fluid communicates through a central opening 21 with the inside of a flexible bladder 22 isolating the contents of the reservoir from the sea environment and equilizing the pressure inside the reservoir with the external hydrostatic pressure. An internal dividing wall 2 divides the reservoir into two compartments, the central compartment 3 to which is connected a duct 12 for the expanded fluid and housing a pump 8 for discharge to the platform and for draining water and the annular peripheral compartment 4 housing the pumps 5, 6 for feeding the compressed fluid to the accumulators. The installation can be used as a self contained hydraulic unit or fluid storage reservoir when the pressurized fluid supply is provided from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1988
    Assignee: Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (Production)
    Inventor: Gilles Barnay