Solenoid operator for a valve or the like

Claim 1

A SOLENOID OPERATOR FOR A VALVE OR THE LIKE COMPRISING AN INVERTED MAGNETIC CUP-SHAPED HOUSING HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING IN ITS TOP WALL, AN ANNULAR MAGNETIC COIL DISPOSED IN SAID HOUSING, A COMBINATION HOUSING BASE AND CONNECTOR HAVING A CENTRAL DEPENDING PORTION WHICH IS ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO THE VALVE OR THE LIKE AND WHICH HAS A VERTICAL CENTRAL BORE, SAID BASE AND CONNECTOR ALSO HAVING A MAGNETIC RADIALLY EXTENDING PORTION WHICH IS TURNED UPWARDLY NEAR ITS PERIPHERY TO PROVIDE A SEAT FOR AND TO SNUGLY EMBRACE THE BOTTOM END PORTION OF THE HOUSING, A NON-MAGNETIC SLEEVE FIXEDLY SECURED IN SAID BORE AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM INTO THE OPEN CENTER OF THE COIL, A MAGNETIC PLUG FIXEDLY SECURED IN THE UPPER END OF SAID SLEEVE AND HAVING AN EXTERNALLY THREADED UPPER END PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE SAID CENTRAL OPENING IN THE TOP WALL OF THE HOUSING, A NUT ENGAGED WITH THE THREADED END OF THE PLUG AND SEATED AGAINST THE TOP WALL OF THE HOUSING TO COMPLETE UNITARY ASSEMBLY OF THE OPERATOR, A MAGNETIC PLUNGER FREELY SLIDABLE IN SAID SLEEVE BELOW THE PLUG BETWEEN AN UPPER ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZED POSITION FIXED BY THE PLUG AND A LOWER POSITION, SAID PLUNGER BEING PROVIDED WITH A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGE ON ITS BOTTOM END, AND A FRUSTO-CONICAL SPRING EMBRACING SAID PLUNGER WITH ITS LARGER DIAMETER END SEATED ON THE PLUNGER FLANGE AND WITH ITS SMALLER DIAMETER END ENGAGING THE COMBINATION HOUSING BASE AND CONNECTOR BELOW THE SLEEVE AND EMBRACING SAID PLUNGER TO DAMPEN UNDESIRABLE SIDE-TO-SIDE MOVEMENT THEREOF WHILE PERMITTING SLIDING MOVEMENT IN THE SLEEVE.