Fast-closing vacuum valve

Claim 1

IN A FAST-CLOSING HIGH-VACUUM VALVE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING; (A) A GENERALLY ANNULAR VALVE BODY PROVIDED WITH COAXIALLY ALIGNED PORT MEANS IN OPPOSING END WALLS FOR COUPLING TO EVACUABLE COMPONENTS OF A VACUUM SYSTEM; (B) A VALVE SEAL ASSEMBLY DISPOSED IN SAID HOUSING INCLUDING A GENERALLY CIRCULAR TUBULAR CONDUIT COMMUNICATING IN SEALED RELATION WITH ONE OF SAID PORTS WITH THE AXIS OF SAID CONDUIT AND DEFINING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID BODY, SAID CONDUIT TERMINATING WITHIN SAID BODY IN A GENERALLY PLANAR SEAT END ANGULARLY INCLINED TO SAID AXIS; (C) A GENERALLY PLANAR VALVE CLOSURE DISC PIVOTED FOR MOVEMENT FROM AN OPEN POSITION OFFSET FROM THE AXIS OF SAID CONDUIT INTO COMPLAINT CLOSED CONTACT WITH THE SEAT END OF SAID CONDUIT; (D) A SHAFT EXTENDING IN RECIPROCATING SEALED RELATION TO THE RADIAL WALL OF SAID VALVE BODY; (E) COMPLAINT LINK MEANS COUPLED TO THE END OF SAID SHAFT WITHIN SAID BODY AND ENGAGING SAID VALVE SEAT DISC TO ACTUATE MOVEMENT THEREOF FROM AN OPEN OFFSET TO A CLOSED SEAT ENGAGEMENT POSITION; (F) ACTUATING MEANS INCLUDING A SPRING COUPLED TO SAID SHAFT EXTERIORLY OF SAID BODY AND DEFORMABLE TO EXERT A CLOSING FORCE ON SAID SHAFT; (G) LATCH MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID SPRING IN DEFORMED POSITION WITH SAID SHAFT AND DISC IN A DEPRESSED OPEN POSITION; (H) MEANS FOR DISENGAGING SAID LATCH MEANS TO PERMIT SAID SPRING TO DRIVE SAID SHAFT AND IN TURN THE COUPLED DISC INTO CLOSED ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SEAT; AND (I) SNUBBER MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SHAFT FOR DECELERATING THE TERMINAL VELOCITY THEREOF TO CONTROL THE IMPACT VELOCITY OF SAID CLOSURE DISC ON SAID VALVE SEAT.