Filter with automatic shut-off valve

Claim 1

A FILTER UNIT COMPRISING A HEAD HAVING AN INLET PORT AND AN OUTLET PORT COMMUNICATING RESPECTIVELY WITH OUTER AND INNER CONCENTRIC CHAMBERS, A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL GUIDE MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID HEAD FOR SEPARATING SAID OUTER AND INNER CONCENTRIC CHAMBERS, A VALVE STOP MEMBER FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH AND EXTENDING FROM SAID GUIDE MEMBER, SAID VALVE STOP MEMBER HAVING A VALVE SEAT FORMED ON THE UPPER SURFACE THEREOF, A RING MEMBER LOCATED IN SAID OUTER CHAMBER AND CONCENTRICALLY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO THE CYLINDRICAL GUIDE MEMBER, SAID RING MEMBER HAVING A VALVE SEAT FORMED ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE INNER EDGE THEREOF, A CYLINDRICAL VALVE SLEEVE LOCATED BETWEEN SAID GUIDE AND RING MEMBERS AND SLIDABLE ON SAID GUIDE MEMBER FROM AN OPEN TO A CLOSED POSITION, LOWER AND UPPER SEALING MEANS LOCATED ON SAID VALVE SLEEVE FOR ENGAGEMENT RESPECTIVELY WITH THE VALVE SEATS FORMED ON THE VALVE STOP AND RING MEMBERS WHEN SAID VALVE SLEEVE MOVES TO A CLOSED POSITION TO THEREBY PREVENT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE OUTLET PORT AND THE INNER CONCENTRIC CHAMBER AND BETWEEN THE INLET PORT AND THE OUTER CONCENTRIC CHAMBER, RESILIENT MEANS FOR URGING SAID VALVE SLEEVE FROM AN OPEN TO A CLOSED POSITION, A BOWL REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO THE HEAD IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, A FILTER ELEMENT LOCATED IN SAID BOWL, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FILTER ELEMENT AND BOWL FOR URGING THE FILTER ELEMENT TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL, SAID FILTER ELEMENT BEING IN ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID VALVE SLEEVE AND CAUSING SAME TO MOVE FROM A CLOSED POSITION TO AN OPEN POSITION UPON SEALING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID BOWL WITH SAID HEAD, AND ADJUSTABLE RESILIENT MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE LOWER END OF THE FILTER ELEMENT AND THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL FOR VARYING THE PRELOAD OF SAID RESILIENT MEAND AND THE FREE LENGTH OF THE FILTER ELEMENT TO INSURE PROPER MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE SLEEVE FROM ITS CLOSED TO ITS OPEN POSITION.