Float actuated fill valve

Claim 1

A LIQUID LEVEL RESPONSIVE VALVE MECHANISM OF THE TYPE COMPRISING A VALVE BODY HAVING INLET AND OUTLET PORTS AND AN INWARDLY FACING ANNULAR VALVE SEAT BETWEEN SAID PORTS, A VALVE ELEMENT IN THE BODY MOVABLE TOWARD AND FROM A CLOSED POSITION ENGAGING THE VALVE SEAT TO BLOCK FLOW OF LIQUID FROM THE INLET PORT TO THE OUTLET PORT, AND A FLOAT MOUNTED EXTERNALLY OF THE VALVE BODY AND CONSTRAINED TO UP AND DOWN MOTION RELATIVE THERETO SO AS TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN A VESSEL IN WHICH THE VALVE MECHANISM IS MOUNTED, SAID VALVE MECHANISM BEING CHARACTERIZED BY THE FOLLOWING: (A) THE VALVE SEAT FACES DOWNWARDLY, AND THE VALVE ELEMENT IS MOVABLE UPWARDLY TO AND DOWNWARDLY FROM ITS CLOSED POSITION; (B) THE VALVE ELEMENT AND THE FLOAT EACH COMPRISES A MAGNETICALLY PERMEABLE MEMBER; (C) ONE OF SAID MAGNETICALLY PERMEABLE MEMBERS IS A PERMANENT MAGNET, SO THAT THE VALVE ELEMENT CAN BE MAGNETICALLY CONNECTED WITH THE FLOAT THROUGH THE VALVE BODY FOR UP AND DOWN MOTION TO AND FROM ITS SEAT IN UNISON WITH UP AND DOWN MOTION OF THE FLOAT; AND (D) UPWARDLY FACING STOP MEANS IS FIXED INSIDE THE VALVE BODY SPACED BELOW THE VALVE SEAT TO BE ENGAGED BY THE VALVE ELEMENT WHEN THE SAME IS OUT OF ITS CLOSED POSITION, SAID STOP MEANS BEING AT A LEVEL AT LEAST AS HIGH AS THE LOWEST LEVEL TO WHICH THE FLOAT CAN DESCEND SO THAT THE MAGNETIC CONNECTION BETWEEN THE VALVE ELEMENT AND THE FLOAT ALWAYS OBTAINS AS THE FLOAT RISES TOWARD AND REACHES THE LIQUID LEVEL AT WHICH VALVE CLOSURE IS TO TAKE PLACE.