Gas-oil separator

Claim 1

A SEPARATOR FOR REMOVING GAS FROM A LIQUID COMPRISING: MEANS PROVIDING A DEGASSING CHAMBER; MEANS PROVIDING A LIQUID INLET AND A LIQUID OUTLET FOR SAID CHAMBER; MEANS FOR SUBJECTING SAID CHAMBER TO A REDUCED PRESSURE THROUGH SAID LIQUID OUTLET; A GAS VENT ADJACENT THE TOP OF SAID CHAMBER; AN AUTOMATIC CHECK VALVE FOR SAID GAS VENT OPENING OUTWARDLY ONLY; A VALVE FOR SAID LIQUID OUTLET; AN OPERATING ROD CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE AND EXTENDING VERTICALLY THROUGH SAID CHAMBER; A FLOAT IN SAID CHAMBER AND SURROUNDING SAID ROD FOR LOOSE, SLIDING MOTION THEREON; UPPER AND LOWER ABUTMENTS ENGAGED BY VALVE FLOAT IN UPPER AND LOWER POSITIONS FOR MOVING SAID VALVE RESPECTIVELY TO OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS; AND RESILIENT MEANS FOR IMPEDING THE LOWERMOST MOVEMENT OF THE FLOAT UNTIL THE FLOAT WEIGHT INCREASES TO A VALUE TO OVERCOME THE IMPEDING MEANS AND THEREAFTER MOVE DOWNWARDLY SUBSTANTIALLY UNIMPEDED TO EFFECT POSITIVE QUICK CLOSING OF THE OUTLET VALVE.