Metering valve for crankcase ventilation systems

Claim 1

IN A METERING VALVE, THE COMBINATION OF A VALVE CASE INCLUDING A CHAMBER HAVING AN INTAKE FACE, AN OUTLET FACE OPPOSITE SAID INTAKE FACE, AND A SIDE WALL PORTION AT THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID INTAKE FACE AND SAID OUTLET FACE, AN INTAKE CONDUIT COUPLING HAVING A PORT OPENING INTO SAID CHAMBER AT COUPLING HAVING A PORT OPENING INTO SAID CHAMBER AT ING A PORT OPENING INTO SAID CHAMBER AT THE OUTLET FACE THEREOF, AND A VALVE SEAT IN SAID CHAMBER AT EACH SAID PORT; AND A DIAPHRAGM MOUNTED IN SAID CHAMBER FOR SUBSTANTIALLY FREE RECIPROCABLE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID INTAKE AND SAID OUTLET FACES OF SAID CHAMBER ACCORDING TO FLOW CONDITIONS THROUGH SAID METERING VALVE, SAID DIAPHRAGM HAVING A DISC-LIKE BODY PORTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID CHAMBER WITH THE OUTER PERIPHERY THEREOF ADJACENT SAID SIDE WALL PORTION OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID DISC-LIKE BODY PORTION INCLUDING A CENTRAL BODY PORTION JUXTAPOSED FOR SEALING ABUTMENT WITH EACH SAID VALVE SEAT OF SAID CHAMBER FOR SEALING OF SAID PORT OF SAID INTAKE CONDUIT COUPLING AT ONE EXTREME OF RECIPROCABLE MOVEMENT OF SAID DIAPHRAGM AND SEALING OF SAID PORT OF SAID OUTLET CONDUIT COUPLING AT THE OTHER EXTREME OF RECIPROCABLE MOVEMENT OF SAID DIAPHRAGM, AND A PLURALITY OF PASSAGEWAYS ABOUT SAID CENTRAL BODY PORTION OPENING FROM SAID INTAKE FACE OF SAID CHAMBER TO SAID OUTLET FACE THEREOF AND PERMITTING RELATIVELY FREE FLOW THROUGH SAID METERING VALVE AT INTERMEDIATE RANGES OF RECIPROCABLE MOVEMENT OF SAID DIAPHRAGM, SAID PASSAGEWAYS BEING CLOSED TO FLOW THERETHROUGH BY ABUTMENT OF SAID DIAPHRAGM WITH SAID OUTLET FACE AND SAID VALVE SEAT OF SAID PORT OPENING THEREINTO WHEN SAID DIAPHRAGM IS AT ITS EXTREME POSITION TOWARD SAID OUTLET FACE, SAID CENTRAL BODY PORTION OF SAID DIAPHRAGM INCLUDING A NORMALLY CLOSED VALVE AND SAID NORMALLY CLOSED VALVE INCLUDING MEANS OPENING TO PERMIT SUBSTANTIALLY RESTRICTED FLOW OF MATERIAL THROUGH SAID METERING VALVE UNDER FLOW CONDITIONS WHICH CAUSE SAID CENTRAL BODY PORTION OF SAID DIAPHRAGM TO ABUT SAID VALVE SEAT OF SAID CHAMBER AT SAID PORT OF SAID OUTLET CONDUIT COUPLING.