Pumps and regulating means therefor

Claim 1

A GAS-DRIVEN FLUID PUMP REGULATOR ADAPTED TO UTILIZE A DRY DRIVING GAS WITHOUT A LUBRICATING FLUID ADDED THERETO AND YET HAVING A LONG SERVICE LIFE AND ADAPTED TO PERMIT REPLACEMENT OF ALL PARTS SUBJECT TO WEAR WITHOUT DISTURBING EXTERNAL GAS AND FLUID CONNECTIONS, SAID PUMP REGULATOR COMPRISING; (A) A CYLINDRICAL GAS BORE HAVING A GAS PISTON SLIDABLY MOUNTED THEREIN; (B) A PAIR OF PILOT VALVES WITH THE FIRST OF SAID PILOT VALVES BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT TO THE FIRST END OF SAID GAS BORE AND THE SECOND OF SAID PILOT VALVES BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT TO THE SECOND END OF SAID GAS BORE, EACH OF SAID PILOT VALVES BEING ADAPTED TO BE OPENED BY THE MOVEMENT OF SAID GAS PISTON TO ITS END OF SAID GAS BORE; (C) A CONTROL VALVE, INCLUDING A SPOOL SLIDBALY MOUNTED IN A BORE, SAID SPOOL BEING ADAPTED TO FORM WITH SAID BORE A FIRST AND SECOND CHAMBER, THE SPOOL PORTION OF SAID FIRST CHAMBER HAVING SUSBTANTIALLY LESS AREA PERPENDICULAR TO THET AXIS OF SAID SPOOL THAN THE SPOOL PORTION OF SAID SECOND CHAMBER; (D) A PLURALITY OF GAS CONDUITS INCLUDING: (I) A FIRST GAS CONDUIT CONNECTING A GAS SOURCE TO SAID FIRST CONTROL VALVE CHAMBER; (II) A SECOND GAS CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID GAS SOURCE TO SAID SECOND CONTROL VALVE CHAMBER THROUGH SAID SECOND PILOT VALVE, (III) A THIRD GAS CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID SECOND CONTROL VALVE CHAMBER TO A GAS OUTLET THORUGH SAID FIRST PILOT VALVE, (IV) A FOURTH GAS CONDUIT CONNECTING A GAS SORUCE WITH SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE; (V) A FIFTH GAS CONDUIT CONNECTING THE FIRST END OF SAID GAS BORE TO SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE, (VI) A SIXTH GAS CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE TO A GAS OUTLET WHEN SAID SPOOL IS AT THE FIRST END OF SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE, (VII) A SEVENTH GAS CONDUIT CONNECTING THE SECOND END OF SAID GAS BORE TO SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE, AND (VIII) AN EIGHTH GAS CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE TO A GAS OUTLET WHEN SAID SPOOL IS AT THE SECOND END OF SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE; AND (E) A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVES IN SAID CONTROL VALVE SPOOL INCLUDING: (I) A FIRST GROOVE CONNECTING SAID FOURTH AND FIFTH GAS CONDUITS WHEN SAID SPOOL IS AT THE SECOND END OF SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE AND CONNECTING SAID FIFTH AND SIXTH GAS CONDUITS WHEN SAID SPOOL IS AT THE FIRST END OF SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE, AND (II) A SECOND GROOVE CONNECTING SAID SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GAS CONDUITS WHEN SAID SPOOL IS AT THE SECOND END OF SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE AND CONNECTING SAID FOURTH AND SEVENTH GAS CONDUITS WHEN SAID SPOOL IS AT THE FIRST END OF SAID CONTROL VALVE BORE, SAID GROOVES BEING SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER AND SAID CONTROL VALVE CHAMBERS BY RIDGES, EACH OF SAID RIDGES HAVING AT LEAST ONE CIRCUMFERENTIAL CHANNEL CONTAINING AN ANNULAR GASKET, SAID CHANNELS AND GASKETS BEING POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO THE ADJACENT GAS CONDUITS SO THAT THE PRESSURE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAID ADJACENT GAS CONDUITS AND SAID GROOVES ALWAYS TENDS TO SEAT SAID GASKETS IN SAID CHANNELS WHEN THEY MOVE ACROSS SAID ADJACENT GAS CONDUITS.