Fluid metering device for a water softening apparatus

Claim 1

WATER SOFTENER APPARATUS COMPRISING: A SOFTENING TANK HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET; A RESIN BED WITHIN SAID SOFTENING TANK; A CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY CONNECTED TO SAID INLET FOR RECEIVING AND DIRECTING INCOMING HARD WATER INTO SAID SOFTENING TANK DURING A SOFTENING OPERATION; A BRINE CONTAINER FOR RECEIVING A SOLUTION OF CONCENTRATED BRINE; A CLOSED BRINE DISAPPEAR INCLUDING TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID BRINE TANK FOR BEING IMMERSED IN SAID CONCENTRATION BRINE, SAID TANK HAVING AN OPENING IN EACH OF SAID TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS; A FIRST CONDUIT INTERCONNECTED BETWEEN SAID CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY AND SAID TOP WALL, A CHECK VALVE POSITIONED IN THE OPENING IN SAID TOP WALL TO CONTROLTHE FLOW OF FRESH WATER FROM SAID DISPENSER AND INCLUDING A BALL CHECK HAVING A SPECIFIC GRAVITY GREATER THAN 1; A SECOND CONDUIT INTERCONNECTED BETWEN SAID CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY AND SAID BOTTOM WALL; A CHECK VALVE POSITIONED IN THE OPENING IN SAID BOTTOM WALL TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF BRINE INTO SAID DISPENSER AND INCLUDING A BALL CHECK HAVING A SPECIFIC GRAVITY LESS THAN 1, WHEREBY A CIRCULATION OF FRESH WATER AND BRINE TAKES PLACE BETWEEN THE BRINE DISPENSER AND BRINE CONTAINER THROUGH SAID OPENINGS; AND MEANS IN SAID CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR DIRECTING INCOMING HARD WATER INTO SAID FIRST CONDUIT TO CLOSE BOTH OF SAID CHECK VALVES AND DISPENSE BRINE FROM WITHIN SAID DISPENSER INTO SAID SECOND CONDUIT AND THEN INTO SAID INLET FOR AUTOMATICALLY REGENERATING AND RINSING SAID RESIN BED IN A CONTAINUOUS AND UNINTERRUPTED REGENERATING AND RINSING OPERATION.