Reactor having nonplugging valve nozzle

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED REACTOR APPARATUS WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION A JACKETED REACTION VESSEL, A PLURALITY OF INLET AND OUTLET CONDUITS ATTACHED THERETO, A DIAPHRAGM ACTUATED REGULATOR VALVE POSITIONED AT THE INLET END OF ONE CONDUIT; THE VALVE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED TUBE EXTENDING INTO SAID REACTION VESSEL, A TERMINAL NOZZLE OF SAID ELONGATED TUBE LOCATED CENTRALLY WITHIN SAID REACTION VESSEL, A CHAMBER COMMUNICATING WITH THE OTHER TERMINAL END OF SAID TUBE, A FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM MOUNTED IN SAID CHAMBER AND DIVIDING IT INTO A FIRST AND A SECOND COMPARTMENT; A SIDE PORT ONTHE VALVE TUBE COMMUNICATING WITH THE INLET CONDUIT, A CENTRLLY POSITIONED SLIDABLE SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH THE TUBE AND DEFINING THE VALVE STEM, ONE END OF THE SHAFT BEING ADAPTED FOR SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE NOZZLE AND THE OTHER END OF THE SHAFT BEING ATTACHED TO THE DIAPHRAGM OF THE REGULATOR VALVE WITHIN THE FIRST COMPARTMENT OF THE CHAMBER, A GAS TIGHT PACKING GLAND POSITIONED WITHIN SAID TUBE BETWEEN THE SIDE PORT AND THE CHAMBER THROUGH WHICH THE SHAFT PASSES; AN ADJUSTABLE SPRING POSITIONED IN THE SECOND COMPARTMENT OF THE CHAMBER WITH ONE END OF SAID SPRING IN CONTACT WITH THE DIAPHRAGM AT A POINT OPPOSITE THE END OF THE SHAFT; A FLOW METER CONTROLLER, A GAS CONTROL MANIFOLD CONNECTING THE FIRST COMPARTMENT OF THE CHAMBER TO SAID FLOW METER CONTROLLER, A FLOW METER POSITIONED IN THE INLET CONDUIT AT A POINT UPSTREAM FROM THE REGULATOR VALVE, A SOURCE OF GAS UNDER PRESSURE WHICH, WITH SAID FLOW METER, ACTUATES THE FLOW METER CONTROLLER, WHEREBY THE FLOW THROUGH THE TERMINAL VALVE NOZZLE IS MAINTAINED AT A DESIRED RATE, A PRESSURE RESPONSIVE EXHAUST VALVE POSITIONED IN SAID GAS CONTROL MANIFOLD AND CONNECTED TO THE REACTION VESSEL, WHEREBY GAS IS DISCHARGED FROM THE FIRST CHAMBER, COMPARTMENT WHEN THE PRESSURE IN THE REACTION VESSEL BECOMES EXCESSIVE, AND CAUSING THE SPRING TO CLOSE THE VALVE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE ACTION OF THE FLOW METER CONTROLLER.