Valves

Claim 1

Flow regulating mechanism for maintaining a substantially constant flow of fluid in a flow conduit irrespective of variations in supply pressure to said conduit above a predetermined magnitude, said flow regulating mechanism comprising a single fluidic vortex valve, said vortex valve being constituted by a flat disclike cylindrical chamber having a supply inlet connected to an upstream section of the flow conduit and providing a radial flow of fluid from said upstream section into the chamber, an outlet connected to a downstream section of the flow conduit and providing an axial flow of fluid from the chamber into said downstream section and a control inlet providing tangential flow of fluid into the chamber, a restrictor in said upstream section of the flow conduit, a branch conduit connected between a point in said upstream sectioN of the flow conduit upstream of said restrictor and said control inlet, a spool valve controlling the flow of fluid through said branch conduit, the spool valve being subject at its opposite ends to fluid pressures derived from points in said flow conduit at which different fluid pressures prevail, and a spring loading the spool valve and normally maintaining it in position to close the branch conduit, said spool valve opening in response to increase in supply pressure above said predetermined magnitude to admit fluid to said control port and thereby prevent substantial increase in the flow of fluid through said flow conduit.