Proportional fluid control apparatus

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FLUIDS FROM A PLURALITY OF INDEPENDENT FLUID SOURCES EACH HAVING AN OUTLET CONDUIT ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, THE COMBINATION OF A VENTURI IN EACH OUTLET CONDUIT HAVING A THROAT FOR ESTABLISHING A SELECTED EFFECTIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA THEREFOR, BY-PASS MEANS INDIVIDUAL TO EACH OUTLET CONDUIT AND COMMUNICATING WITH ITS ASSOCIATED CONDUIT UPSTREAM OF ITS VENTURI AND OPERABLE TO BY-PASS FLUID FROM SAID OUTLET CONDUIT, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE SOLELY TO THE TOTAL PRESSURE OF THE FLUID PASSING THROUGH THE THROAT OF EACH OF SAID VENTURIS FOR RESPECTIVELY CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF SAID BY-PASS MEANS, SAID MEANS BEING SO ARRANGED THAT A DECREASE IN THE TOTAL PRESSURE IN ANY VENTURI WILL ACTUATE ITS ASSOCIATED BY-PASS TO CLOSED POSITION, IF OPEN, AND UPON CLOSURE THEREOF THE OTHER BY-PASS MEANS TOWARD CLOSED POSITION AND SO THAT AN INCREASE IN TOTAL PRESSURE IN A CERTAIN ONE OF SAID VENTURIS WILL EFFECT CLOSURE OF THE BYPASS IN THE OTHER OF THE CONDUITS, IF OPEN, AND WILL EFFECT OPENING OF ITS OWN BY-PASS WHEN SAID OTHERS ARE CLOSED, WHEREBY A SELECTED FLUID FLOW IS ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED THROUGH THE THROAT OF EACH OF SAID VENTURIS.