Water softening apparatus

Claim 1

IN A WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS; A MINERAL TANK HAVING FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS IN THE TOP COMMUNICATING WITH THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE TANK, RESPECTIVELY, A VALVE BODY MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE TANK HAVING FIRST AND SECOND CHAMBERS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS, RESPECTIVELY, A JET PUMP IN SAID BODY, SAID BODY HAVING A VALVE BORE, PASSAGE IN SAID VALVE BODY PROVIDING RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED COMMUNICATION OF SAID BORE WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND CHAMBERS, RESPECTIVELY, OTHER PASSAGE IN SAID VALVE BODY COMMUNICATING SAID BORE WITH THE INLET OF SAID JET PUMP, WITH THE SUCTION ZONE OF SAID JET PUMP, AND WITH EXHAUST, A VALVE MEMBER IN SAID BORE HAVING A RAW WATER SUPPLY PORT ON ITS PERIPHERY AND ALSO HAVING A CHANNEL EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, SAID VALVE MEMBER HAVING A NORMAL POSITION WHERE SAID SUPPLY PORT COMMUNICATES WITH SAID FIRST CHAMBER THROUGH THE UNRESTRICTED PASSAGE LEADING THERETO AND SAID CHANNEL IS CLOSED, A SECOND POSITION WHERE THE SUPPLY PORT COMMUNICATES WITH THE SECOND CHAMBER THROUGH THE RESTRICTED PASSAGE LEADING THERETO AND SAID CHANNEL CONNECTS AND FIRST CHAMBER WITH EXHAUST, A THIRD POSITION WHERE SAID SUPPLY PORT COMMUNICATES WITH THE PASSAGE LEADING TO THE INLET OF THE JET PUMP AND SAID CHANNEL INTERCONNECTS THE PASSAGE LEADING TO SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND TO THE SUCTION ZONE OF SAID JET PUMP, AND ANOTHER POSITION WHERE SAID SUPPLY PORT COMMUNICATES WITH SAID FIRST CHAMBER THROUGH THE RESTRICTED PASSAGE AND SAID CHANNEL CONNECTS THE PASSAGE LEADING TO SAID SECOND CHAMBER AND EXHAUST, SAID VALVE MEMBER BEING MOVABLE INTO ITS SEVERAL ADJUSTED POSITIONS AND BACK TO ITS NORMAL POSITION BY INDEXING MOVEMENTS IN ONE AND THE SAME DIRECTION, A SERVICE CONDUIT CONNECTED WITH SAID SECOND CHAMBER, AND A BRINE SUPPLY CONDUIT CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST CHAMBER.