Valve mechanism in a joint for passing a fluid under elevated pressure

Claim 1

A JOINT COMPRISING (1) A DOWNSTREAM JOINT PART; (2) AN UPSTREAM JOINT PART SPACED THEREFROM; (3) A JOINT HOUSING DEFINING A CHAMBER BETWEEN THE JOINT PARTS, THE HOUSING BEING FLUID-TIGHTLY CONNECTED BETWEEN THE JOINT PARTS AND THE CHAMBER BEING CAPABLE OF COMMUNICATING WITH RESPECTIVE OPENINGS IN THE DOWNSTREAM AND UPSTREAM JOINT PARTS, WHEREBY A FLUID UNDER PRESSURE MAY FLOW FROM THE OPENING IN THE UPSTREAM JOINT PART THROUGH THE CHAMBER AND INTO THE OPENING IN THE DOWNSTREAM JOINT PART; AND (4) VALVE MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID OPENINGS, SAID MEANS INCLUDING (A) A PRINCIPAL CHECK VALVE MEMBER MOUNTED FOR FLUID-TIGHT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DOWNSTREAM JOINT PART OPENING IN A CLOSING POSITION, (B) A PRESSURE-RELIEF VALVE MOVABLY MOUNTED IN THE CHECK VALVE MEMBER FOR FLUID-TIGHT ENGAGEMENT WITH AN OUTLET PORT IN THE CHECK VALVE MEMBER IN A CLOSING POSITION, THE OUTLET PORT BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE DOWNSTREAM JOINT PART, (C) A GATE VALVE MEMBER MOUNTED WITH PLAY IN RESPECT OF THE UPSTREAM JOINT PART OPENING IN A CLOSING POSITION, WHEREBY SOME FLUID UNDER PRESSURE MAY PASS INTO THE CHAMBER PAST THE GATE VALVE MEMBER IN SAID CLOSING POSITION, (D) A COMMON PIVOTING SHAFT SUPPORTING THE CHECK AND GATE VALVE MEMBERS FOR PIVOTING MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE MEMBERS FOR PIVOTING ING POSITIONS INTO OPENING POSITIONS, AND (E) OPERATING MEANS FOR ROTATING THE SHAFT TO EFFECTUATE THE PIVOTING MOVEMENT.