Liquid pressure accumulator systems

Claim 1

In a pressure fluid accumulator tank comprising a hollow housing, a bladder located within said housing dividing said housing into an air chamber and a liquid chamber, said housing having a first port communicating with said air chamber for the admission of air under pressure to said air chamber, said housing having a second port communicating with said liquid chamber for admitting liquid under pressure to said liquid chamber, said air chamber containing an amount of air substantially constant when in use, said bladder moving as the quantity of liquid in said liquid chamber varies between two positions within said housing representing minimum liquid pressure and maximum liquid pressure, the improvement comprising controlling means for the flow of liquid from said liquid chamber through said second port, said controlling means comprising a seat in said housing, said seat is frusto-conical in form and surrounds said second port, a resilient discal member cooperating with said seat in spaced relation therefrom, said discal member being engaged and deformed toward said seat by said bladder when said liquid is substantially exhausted from said tank, means supporting said discal member such that when said discal member is fully deformed by said bladder said member will only partially close said second port, the remainder of said second port being closed only by said bladder when the liquid is exhausted from said liquid chamber, said supporting means including a circular shaft projecting upwardly from said seat on which said discal member is mounted, a rigid central washer of smaller diameter than said discal member mounted on said shaft beneath and in contact with said discal member to provide support for said discal member and spacing means to space the washer and discal member from said seat.