Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A drier for a refrigeration system comprising a casing, a desiccant charge within the casing, at least one tubular member on the casing in fluid communication with the casing interior, threaded fastening means on the tubular member for threading fluidtight engagement with threaded fastening means on a fitting of a refrigerant line of a refrigeration system and plunger means within said tubular member for contacting and opening a valve element in the fitting on the refrigerant line upon threading of the drier onto said fitting.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
85 words
A drier for a refrigeration system comprising a casing, a desiccant charge within the casing, at least one tubular member on the casing in fluid communication with the casing interior, threaded fastening means on the tubular member for threading fluidtight engagement with threaded fastening means on a fitting of a refrigerant line of a refrigeration system and plunger means within said tubular member for contacting and opening a valve element in the fitting on the refrigerant line upon threading of the drier onto said fitting.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A drier as defined in claim 1, and further characterized in the provision of a pair of tubular members on the casing, one of said tubular members serving as an inlet into the drier, the other of said tubular members serving as an outlet from the drier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A drier as defined in claim 1, and further characterized in that only one tubular member is provided on the casing, said tubular member forming both an inlet and an outlet for refrigerant to pass into and out of the drier in response to pressure conditions in the refrigeration system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
A drier for a refrigeration system comprising a a desiccant charge within the casing, a single tubular member on the casing in fluid communication with the casing interior and forming both an inlet to an outlet from the casing for passage of fluid refrigerant material into and out of the casing in response to pressure conditions in the refrigeration system, means on the tubular member for fluidtight engagement with means on a fitting of a refrigerant line of a refrigeration system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
A drier for a refrigeration system comprising a a desiccant charge within the casing, a single tubular member on the casing in fluid communication with the casing interior and forming both an inlet to an outlet from the casing for passage of fluid refrigerant material into and out of the casing in response to pressure conditions in the refrigeration system, means on the tubular member for fluidtight engagement with means on a fitting of a refrigerant line of a refrigeration system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The drier as defined in claim 4, and further characterized in the provision of plunger means within said tubular member for contacting and opening a valve element in the fitting on the refrigerant line upon threading of the drier onto said fitting.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
A drier as defined in claim 4, and further characterized in the provision of a second tubular member on the casing, said second tubular member and manually depressible for opening the valve, and a detachable cap fastened to the outer end of said second tubular member in fluidtight engagement therewith.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
126 words
A drier as defined in claim 6, and further characterized in that said cap normally depresses said plunger to open said valve when the cap is detachably fastened to said second tubular element, said cap having sidewall means overlapping said second tubular member when said cap is in place, said sidewall means having opening means therein in alignment with said second tubular member when said cap is fully mounted on said second tubular member, said opening means being located on said cap wall means in a position to be moved slightly beyond the end of said second tubular member upon partial removal of said cap with said cap with said valve remaining open to provide fluid passage means to the ambient atmosphere for purging the drier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
A drier as defined in claim 4, and further characterized in the provision of a plurality of longitudinally extending spaced-apart tubular members in said desiccant charge extending substantially from end-to-end thereof, said tubular members being fabricated of a foraminous material whereby fluid refrigerant material may flow longitudinally thereof and laterally therethrough into the desiccant charge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A drier as defined in claim 4, and further characterized in that said desiccant charge comprises a relatively solid block of desiccant material, said block of desiccant material having a plurality of longitudinally extending, spaced-apart passageways therethrough for the flow of fluid refrigerant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
A drier as defined in claim 4, and further characterized in the provision of tubular extension means projecting from the casing around the tubular member for substantially abutting engagement with the outer surface of the refrigerant line of a refrigeration system upon engagement of the tubular member with said fitting of the refrigerant line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A drier as defined in claim 6, And further characterized in the provision of a strainer at each end of the desiccant charge extending across the interior of the casing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
A drier as defined in claim 5, and further characterized in the provision of a strainer interposed between the desiccant charge and the tubular member and extending across the interior diameter of the casing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
133 words
In combination, a drier for a refrigeration system comprising a casing, a desiccant charge within the casing, a single tubular member on the casing in fluid communication with the casing interior forming both an inlet and an outlet for the passage of fluid refrigerant into and out of the casing interior in response to pressure conditions in the refrigeration system, threaded fastening means on the tubular member, a refrigeration line, said refrigeration line having a fitting including threaded fastening means in threaded fluidtight engagement with the threaded fastening means on said tubular member, said fitting including a tubular member in fluid communication with the interior of the refrigerant line for the flow of refrigerant from the refrigerant line into and out of the drier in response to pressure conditions in the refrigerant line.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
133 words
In combination, a drier for a refrigeration system comprising a casing, a desiccant charge within the casing, a single tubular member on the casing in fluid communication with the casing interior forming both an inlet and an outlet for the passage of fluid refrigerant into and out of the casing interior in response to pressure conditions in the refrigeration system, threaded fastening means on the tubular member, a refrigeration line, said refrigeration line having a fitting including threaded fastening means in threaded fluidtight engagement with the threaded fastening means on said tubular member, said fitting including a tubular member in fluid communication with the interior of the refrigerant line for the flow of refrigerant from the refrigerant line into and out of the drier in response to pressure conditions in the refrigerant line.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination defined in claim 13 and further characterized in the provision of a normally closed valve in said fitting, said valve having an outwardly projecting plunger element manually depressible to open the valve, and additional plunger means within said tubular member depressing said valve plunger means to open the valve for fluid communication between the refrigerant line and the drier.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
67 words
The method of subjecting fluid refrigerant in a refrigeration system to a desiccant comprising attaching a casing containing a desiccant to the refrigerant line in fluid communication therewith by means of a single fluid passageway, and then flowing refrigerant into the casing upon a rise of pressure in the refrigeration system and flowing refrigerant out of the casing upon a fall of pressure within the refrigeration system.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
67 words
The method of subjecting fluid refrigerant in a refrigeration system to a desiccant comprising attaching a casing containing a desiccant to the refrigerant line in fluid communication therewith by means of a single fluid passageway, and then flowing refrigerant into the casing upon a rise of pressure in the refrigeration system and flowing refrigerant out of the casing upon a fall of pressure within the refrigeration system.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as defined in claim 15, and further characterized in that said fluid passageway is attached to the refrigerant line while simultaneously opening a valve in the refrigerant line for fluid communication between the refrigerant line and the casing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method as defined in claim 16, and further characterized in that the casing is purged of foreign gases before said attachment by the steps of first temporarily attaching the casing to the refrigerant line then flowing refrigerant fluid under pressure into the casing, then removing the casing from the refrigerant line, then exhausting the casing to the ambient atmosphere to thereby expel a portion of the refrigerant fluid and said foreign gases to atmosphere, and then reattaching the casing to the refrigerant line.