Pressure operated valve

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR USE WITH A LIQUID BI-PROPELLANT ROCKET MOTOR OF THE TYPE HAVING A COMBUSTION CHAMBER TO WHICH OXIDANT AND FUEL ARE DELIVERED AND INCLUDING AND OXIDANT SUPPLY CONDUIT IN WHICH PRESSURE MAY VARY, THE IMPROVEMENTS, COMPRISING; A FUEL METERING VALVE INCLUDING AN AXIALLY MOVABLE ANNULAR MEMBER, ONE END OF WHICH DEFINES ONE WALL OF A METERING PASSAGE, THE FUEL ADAPTED TO FLOW THROUGH SAID MEMBER, SAID MEMBER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PRESSURE BALANCED, ACTUATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO PRESSURE OF OXIDANT BEING SUPPLIED TO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, RESILIENT LINKAGE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND THE VALVE MEMBER TO MOVE THEH LATTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMER TO OPEN AND MAINTAIN SAID VALVE MEMBER IN A POSITION OF OPENING IN RESPONSE TO SAID PRESSURE OF OXIDANT TO METER THE FLOW OF FUEL IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID PRESSURE OF OXIDANT, SAID VALVE MEMBER INCLUDING MEANS FORMING A PRESSURE WEB EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS THE INTERIOR OF THE ANNULAR MEMBER, SAID PRESSURE WEB BEING SUBJECT TO THE FORCE OF THE FUEL FLOW THROUGH THE ANNULAR MEMBER AND COOPERATING WITH SAID RESILIENT LINKAGE TO PROVIDE A NEGATIVE FEEDBACK FORCE ACTING UPON SAID METERING VALVE TO MAINTAIN THE METERING PASSAGE WALL AT A DESIRED POSITION OF OPENING IRRESPECTIVE OF RAPID TRANSITORY PRESSURE FLUCTUATIONS IN SAID OXIDANT SUPPLY CONDUIT.