Fluid-actuated valve

Claim 1

A TWO-POSITION FLUID-ACTUATED DIAPHRAGM VALVE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A CENTRAL DISC; A FIRST OUTER SET OF SIX SPACED PERFORATIONS DISPOSED NEAR THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DISC; A SECOND INNER SET OF SIX SPACED PERFORATIONS DISPOSED WITHIN THE CIRCLE DESCRIBED BY SAID FIRST SET OF SPACED PERFORATIONS; EACH OF SAID PERFORATIONS DEFINING AN UPPER AND LOWER PAIR OF PORTS IN THE FACES OF SAID DISC; A PLURALITY OF PASSAGES IN SAID DISC CONNECTING RADIALLY ALIGNED PERFORATIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SETS OF PERFORATIONS; A FIRST AND SECOND DIAPHRAGM MEANS DISPOSED ON OPPOSING SIDES OF SAID DISC, THE UPPER OF SAID DIAPHRAGM MEANS PROVIDED WITH A SET OF SPACED PERFORATIONS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID FIRST SET OF SPACED PERFORATIONS IN SAID CENTRAL DISC; A FIRST AND SECOND GASKET MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID FIRST AND SECOND DIAPHRAGM MEANS, RESPECTIVELY; SAID FIRST AND SECOND GASKET MEANS BEING EACH PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SLOTS FOR RECEIVING THEREIN THE ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND DIAPHRAGM MEANS; SAID SLOTS IN SAID FIRST GASKET MEANS BEING DISPOSED SO THAT THE FIRST OF SAID SLOTS EXTENDS OVER THE UPPER PORTS OF THE FIRST AND SECOND INNER DISC PERFORATIONS, THE SECOND OF SAID SLOTS EXTENDS OVER THE UPPER PORTS OF SAID THIRD AND FOURTH INNER DISC PERFORATIONS, AND THE THIRD OF SAID SLOTS EXTENDS OVER THE UPPER PORTS OF SAID FIFTH AND SIXTH INNER DISC PERFORATIONS; SAID SECOND GASKET MEANS BEING SO DISPOSED THAT THE FIRST OF SAID SLOTS THEREOF EXTENDS OVER THE LOWER PORTS OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD INNER DISC PERFORATIONS, THE SECOND OF SAID SLOTS EXTENDS OVER THE LOWER PORTS OF SAID FOURTH AND FIFTH INNER DISC PERFORATIONS, AND THE THIRD OF SAID SLOTS EXTENDS OVER THE LOWER PORTS OF SAID SIXTH AND FIRST INNER DISC PERFORATIONS; THE UPPER OF SAID GASKET MEANS FURTHER PROVIDED WITH A SET OF SPACED PERFORATIONS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID SET OF PERFORATIONS IN SAID UPPER DIAPHRAGM MEANS; A FIRST AND SECOND PASSAGE MEANS FOR CONDUCTING A POWER GAS FROM A SOURCE THEREOF TO THE RESPECTIVE PLURALITIES OF SLOTS IN SAID FIRST AND SECOND GASKET MEANS, AND SEALING SAID ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SAID DIAPHRAGM MEANS AGAINST SAID CENTRAL DISC, THEREBY CLOSING OFF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CERTAIN OF THE ADJACENT MEMBERS OF SAID INNER SECOND SET OF SPACED PERFORATIONS, AS DESIRED; A THIRD PASSAGE MEANS FOR CONDUCTING A CARRIER GAS FROM A SOURCE THEREOF TO ONE OF SAID FIRST SET OF SPACED PERFORATIONS; A FOURTH PASSAGE MEANS FOR CONDUCTING VAPORIZED SAMPLE FROM A SOURCE THEREOF TO A SECOND OF SAID FIRST SET OF SPACED PERFORATIONS; A SAMPLE CONDUIT COMMUNICATING BETWEEN A THIRD AND FOURTH PERFORATIONS OF SAID FIRST SET; A FIFTH PASSAGE MEANS FOR VENTING SAMPLE GAS FROM A FIFTH OF SAID FIRST SET OF SPACED PERFORATIONS; AND SIXTH PASSAGE MEANS FOR CONDUCTING CARRIER GAS AND VAPORIZED SAMPLE TO A CHROMATOGRAPHIC COLUMN FROM A SIXTH OF SAID FIRST SET.