Apparatus for separating air from liquids

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING GASES FROM LIQUID COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A CLOSED TANK OF SUBSTANTIAL HEIGHT; AN INLET FOR THE LIQUID AT THE BOTTOM REGION OF THE TANK AND AN OUTLET THEREFOR ALSO AT THE BOTTOM REGION OF THE TANK BUT SPACED FROM THE INLET, THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID TANK NORMALLY BEING ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A VOLUME OF AIR ABOVE A NORMAL LIQUID LEVEL SPACED FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK; MEANS FOR DISPERSING THE LIQUID ENTERING SAID INLET AND FOR DIRECTING SAME AS A SLOWLY-MOVING VOLUME UP TO SUBSTANTIALLY SUCH LIQUID LEVEL AND THENCY SLOWLY DOWNWARDLY TO SAID OUTLET; VALVE MEANS AND CONTROL MEANS THEREFOR FOR AUTOMATICALLY REALEASING FROM TIME TO TIME EXCESS AMOUNTS OF AIR FROM SAID UPPER PORTION OF THE TANK; MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A PRESELECTED AIR PRESSURE IN THE SPACE ABOVE THE LIQUID LEVEL, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS INCLUDING AN AIR INLET PIPE CONNECTED TO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID TANK ABOVE SAID LIQUID LEVEL, A CHECK VALVE MOUNTED IN SAID PIPE FOR ADMITTING AIR UNDER RESSURE TO SAID SPACE ABOVE THE LIQUID LEVEL WHEN THE PRESSURE IN SAID SPACE IS SUFFICIENTLY BELOW THAT OF THE SOURCE OF AIR FOR SAID AIR INLET PIPE, THEREBY TO SUPPLY AIR TO SAID SPACE IN ADDITION TO SUCH AIR AS IS SUPPLIED THERETO BY SEPARATION FROM THE LIQUID.