Automatic venting apparatus

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR VENTING GASES FROM A LIQUID SOURCE WHEREIN SEPARABLE GASES ARE IN ADMIXTURE WITH THE LIQUID, WHICH COMPRISES A CHAMBER DISPOSED FOR COMMUNICATION WITH SAID LIQUID SOURCE TO RECEIVE SEPARATED GASES THEREFROM, AND TO RECEIVE LIQUID FROM SAID SOURCE IN FREE SURFACE EQUILIBRIUM WITH SUCH SEPARATE GASES WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, A FLOAT MEMBER DISPOSED FOR LIMITED MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID CHAMBER ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, SAID FLOAT MEMBER BEING DISPOSED FOR BUOYANT ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LIQUID WITHIN SAID CHAMBER TO BE POSITIONED THEREBY ALONG SAID PATH IN CORRESPONDING RELATION TO THE POSITION OF THE FREE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID WITH RESPECT TO SAID PATH, A VALVE MEANS DISPOSED IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER FOR VENTING SAID SEPARATED GASES THEREFROM, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING NORMALLY CLOSED, AND A LEVER MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE MEANS TO OPEN SAME, SAID LEVER MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY ADJACENT AND BELOW SAID FLOAT MEMBER AND ARRANGED TO BE CONTACTED BY THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FLAT MEMBER AFTER A PREDETERMINED FALL OF THE FLOAT MEMBER SO AS TO OPEN SAID VALVE, SAID LEVER MEANS BEING ARRANGED TO CLOSELY CONFINE THE FLAT MEMBER BETWEEN IT AND A SIDE WALL OF THE CHAMBER, WHEREBY WHENEVER THE FREE SURFACE OF THE LIQUID WITHIN AID CHAMBER IS DISPOSED TO POSITION SAID FLOAT MEMBER AT OR BELOW SAID SELECTED POSITION, THE VALVE MEANS IS OPENED TO PERMIT THE ESCAPE OF SEPARATED GASES FROM SAID CHAMBER.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR VENTING GASES FROM A LIQUID SOURCE WHEREIN SEPARABLE GASES ARE IN ADMIXTURE WITH THE LIQUID, WHICH COMPRISES A CHAMBER DISPOSED FOR COMMUNICATION WITH SAID LIQUID SOURCE TO RECEIVE SEPARATED GASES THEREFROM, AND TO RECEIVE LIQUID FROM SAID SOURCE IN FREE SURFACE EQUILIBRIUM WITH SUCH SEPARATE GASES WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, A FLOAT MEMBER DISPOSED FOR LIMITED MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID CHAMBER ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, SAID FLOAT MEMBER BEING DISPOSED FOR BUOYANT ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LIQUID WITHIN SAID CHAMBER TO BE POSITIONED THEREBY ALONG SAID PATH IN CORRESPONDING RELATION TO THE POSITION OF THE FREE SURFACE OF SAID LIQUID WITH RESPECT TO SAID PATH, A VALVE MEANS DISPOSED IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID CHAMBER FOR VENTING SAID SEPARATED GASES THEREFROM, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING NORMALLY CLOSED, AND A LEVER MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE MEANS TO OPEN SAME, SAID LEVER MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY ADJACENT AND BELOW SAID FLOAT MEMBER AND ARRANGED TO BE CONTACTED BY THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FLAT MEMBER AFTER A PREDETERMINED FALL OF THE FLOAT MEMBER SO AS TO OPEN SAID VALVE, SAID LEVER MEANS BEING ARRANGED TO CLOSELY CONFINE THE FLAT MEMBER BETWEEN IT AND A SIDE WALL OF THE CHAMBER, WHEREBY WHENEVER THE FREE SURFACE OF THE LIQUID WITHIN AID CHAMBER IS DISPOSED TO POSITION SAID FLOAT MEMBER AT OR BELOW SAID SELECTED POSITION, THE VALVE MEANS IS OPENED TO PERMIT THE ESCAPE OF SEPARATED GASES FROM SAID CHAMBER.