Diaphragm operated logic valves

Claim 2

A diaphragm operated logic valve device comprising: a. a housing having a first control pressure chamber, a second control pressure chamber adjacent said first control pressure chamber, and an atmospheric pressure chamber therein; b. a fluid pressure inlet in said housing to which fluid pressure may be supplied; c. a fluid pressure outlet in said housing from which fluid pressure may be delivered; d. a first resilient diaphragm valve member separating said first control pressure chamber from said atmospheric pressure chamber and controlling communication between said fluid pressure outlet and said atmospheric pressure chamber; e. a second resilient diaphragm valve member controlling communication between said fluid pressure inlet and said fluid pressure outlet; f. a valve operator reciprocably disposed in a bore formed coaxially in said housing and providing radial space between the bore and the valve operator, said valve operator being operable from a first position, in which said first diaphragm valve member cuts off communication between said outlet and said atmospheric chamber and said second diaphragm valve member effects communication between said inlet and said outlet, to a second position in which said second diaphragm valve member cuts off communication between said inlet and said outlet and said first diaphragm valve member effects communication between said outlet and said atmospheric pressure chamber via said radial space, g. said valve operator normally assuming one of said first and second positions and having abutting contact at one end with said first diaphragm valve member and at the other end with said second diaphragm valve member, said second diaphragm valve member being subjectable to fluid pressure in said inlet for biasing said valve operator and said first diaphragm valve member in a direction opposing pressure in said control pressure chamber, and said valve operator being operable to the other of said first and second positions in response to pressure in said control pressure chamber acting on said first diaphragm valve member at a certain degree sufficient for overcoming the bias of said inlet pressure acting on said second diaphragm valve member; h. a third diaphragm member separating said first control pressure chamber from said second control pressure chamber; and i. a rigid connecting member disposed in said first control pressure chamber and making abutting contact with said first diaphragm valve member and said third diaphragm member for transmitting movement from one to the other in response to pressurization of one or the other of said control chambers.

Claim 3

A diaphragm operated logic valve device comprising: a. a housing having formed therein: i. a control pressure chamber, ii. an atmospheric pressure chamber, iii. an exhaust chamber open to atmosphere, iv. a low pressure chamber having a port via which fluid pressure may be admitted thereinto, v. a coaxially disposed bore, vi. passage means for communicating said control chamber with said exhaust chamber for normally venting said control chamber to atmosphere via the exhaust chamber, vii. a fluid pressure inlet to which fluid pressure may be supplied, viii. a fluid pressure outlet from which fluid pressure may be delivered; b. valve seat means disposed in said exhaust chamber in surrounding relation to the end of said passage means adjacent the exhaust chamber; c. a first resilient diaphragm valve member separating said control pressure chamber from said atmospheric chamber and for controlling communication between said fluid pressure outlet and said atmospheric chamber; d. a second resilient diaphragm valve member controlling communication between said fluid pressure inlet and said fluid pressure outlet; e. a valve operator reciprocably disposed in said bore with a radial space provided therebetween, said valve operator being operable from a first position, in which said first diaphragm valve member cuts off communication between said outlet and said atmospheric chamber and said second diaphragm valve member effects communication between said inlet and said outlet, to a second position in which said second diaphragm valve member cuts off communication between said inlet and said outlet and said first diaphragm valve member effects communication between said outlet and said atmospheric pressure chamber via said radial space, f. said valve operator normally assuming one of said first and second positions and having abutting contact at one end with said first diaphragm valve member and at the other end with said second diaphragm valve member, said second diaphragm valve member being subjectable to fluid pressure in said inlet for biasing said valve operator and said first diaphragm valve member in a direction opposing pressure in said control pressure chamber, and said valve operator being operable to the other of said first and second positions in response to pressure in said control pressure chamber acting on said first diaphragm valve member at a certain degree sufficient for overcoming the bias of said inlet pressure acting on said second diaphragm valve member; g. a third diaphragm member separating said exhaust chamber from said low pressure chamber, said third diaphragm member being operable, in response to fluid pressure admitted to said low pressure chamber, to a seated position on said valve seat means for cutting off venting of said control pressure chamber to atmosphere via said exhaust chamber, and being operable to an unseated position relative to said valve seat means responsively to release of fluid pressure from the low pressure chamber concurrently with presence of fluid pressure in the control pressure chamber acting on the area of said third diaphragm member encompassed within said valve seat means; and h. a Belleville spring disposed in said exhaust chamber for biasing said third diaphragm member to its said unseated position, upon initial urging by said control chamber pressure acting on said area within said valve seat means subsequently to depressurization of the low pressure chamber, and being effective, in response to pressurization of said low pressure chamber at a degree sufficient for overriding the bias of the Belleville spring, for moving said third diaphragm member to its said seated position.

Claim 4

A diaphragm operated logic valve device comprising: a. a housing having formed therein: i. a control pressure chamber, ii. an atmospheric pressure chamber, iii. an exhaust chamber open to atmosphere, iv. a low pressure chamber having a port via which fluid pressure may be admitted thereinto, v. a coaxially disposed bore, vi. passage means for communicating said control chamber with said exhaust chamber for normally venting said control chamber to atmosphere via the exhaust chamber, vii. a fluid pressure inlet to which fluid pressure may be supplied, viii. a fluid pressure outlet from which fluid pressure may be delivered; b. valve seat means disposed in said exhaust chamber in surrounding relation to the end of said passage means adjacent the exhaust chamber; c. a first resilient diaphragm valve member separating said control pressure chamber from said atmospheric chamber and for controlling communication between said fluid pressure outlet and said atmospheric chamber; d. a second resilient diaphragm valve member controlling communication between said fluid pressure inlet and said fluid pressure outlet; e. a valve operator reciprocably disposed in said bore with a radial space provided therebetween, said valve operator being operable from a first position, in which said first diaphragm valve member cuts off communication between said outlet and said atmospheric chamber and said second diaphragm valve member effects communication between said inlet and said outlet, to a second position in which said second diaphragm valve member cuts off communication between said inlet and said outlet and said first diaphragm valve member effects communication between said outlet and said atmospheric pressure chamber via said radial space, f. said valve operator normally assuming one of said first and second positions and having abutting contact at one end with said first diaphragm valve member and at the other end with said second diaphragm valve member, said second diaphragm valve member being subjectable to fluid pressure in said inlet for biasing said valve operator and said first diaphragm valve member in a direction opposing pressure in said control pressure chamber, and said valve operator being operable to the other of said first and second positions in response to pressure in said control pressure chamber acting on said first diaphragm valve member at a certain degree sufficient for overcoming the bias of said inlet pressure acting on said second diaphragm valve member; g. a third diaphragm member separating said exhaust chamber from said low pressure chamber, said third diaphragm member being operable, in response to fluid pressure admitted to said low pressure chamber, to a seated position on said valve seat means for cutting off venting of said control pressure chamber to atmosphere via said exhaust chamber, and being operable to an unseated position relative to said valve seat means responsively to release of fluid pressure from the low pressure chamber concurrently with presence of fluid pressure in the control pressure chamber acting on the area of said third diaphragm member encompassed within said valve seat means; and h. a Belleville spring disposed in said exhaust chamber for biasing said third diaphragm member to its said unseated position, upon initial urging by said control chamber pressure acting on said area within said valve seat means subsequently to depressurization of the low pressure chamber, and being effective, in response to pressurization of said low pressure chamber at a degree sufficient for overriding the bias of the Belleville spring, for moving said third diaphragm member to its said seated position.