Charging sequence system and process

Claim 5

The system claimed in claim 1 wherein: a. the means for communicating each container C1 through CN 1 with the source of gas includes a fill and transfer valve for each of such containers, each such valve having a fill and transfer position, each valve in its fill position being in communication with its container, each valve in its transfer position being in series fluid circuit with the other valves and being out of communication with its container; and b. the means for communicating each container with a delivery point includes a draw and bypass valve for each container, each such valve having a draw position and a bypass position, each valve in its draw position being in communication with its container, each valve in its bypass position being in series fluid circuit with the other valves, each valve being in its draw position until the predetermined withdrawal pressure differential between its container and the delivery point exists and in its bypass position thereafter.

Claim 6

The system for filling containers with a gas in sequential order claimed in claim 2 including means for the containers to establish the predetermined charging pressure as a direct function of the temperature of gas in the containers by each of the valving elements being responsive to its container pressure and the pressure in a closed gaseous system in thermal communication with the container such that the valving element is in its fill position until a predetermined differential between the container and the gaseous system exists whereupon the valving element moves to its transfer position.

Claim 7

The system claimed in claim 1 wherein: a. the means for communicating each container C1 through CN 1 with the source of gas includes a fill and transfer valve for each of such containers, each fill and transfer valve having: i. a valving element positionally responsive between a fill position and a transfer position, ii. means for maintaining the valving element in its fill position until the predetermined charging pressure for the container is reached, iii. means responsive to the predetermined charging pressure to maintain the valving element in its transfer position, and iv. means for serially connecting the valve to the other fill and transfer valves and the source of gas such that in its fill position its container is in communication with the source of gas and out of communication with any downstream valves and in its transfer position its container is out of communication with the source of gas and the valve is in communication with the next succeeding downstream valve; and b. the means for communicating each container with the delivery point includes a draw and bypass valve for each container, each draw and bypass valve having: i. a valving element positionally responsive between a draw and a bypass position, ii. means for maintaining the valving element in its draw position until the predetermined withdrawal pressure differential exists between its associated container and the delivery point, iii. means responsive to the predetermined withdrawal pressure differential to maintain the valving element in its bypass position, and iv. means for serially connecting the valve to the other draw and bypass valves and the delivery point such that in its draw position the container for the valve is in communication With the delivery point and out of communication with any upstream valves and in its bypass position its container is out of communication with the delivery point and the valve is in communication with any next proceeding upstream valve.

Claim 8

The system claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for maintaining each fill and transfer valve''s valving element in its fill position includes a closed gaseous system in thermal communication with the valve''s container and having means responsive to the pressure within it to act on the valving element and bias the valving element towards its fill position.

Claim 9

The system claimed in claim 5 wherein the means responsive to the predetermined charging pressure to maintain each fill and transfer valve''s valving element in its transfer position includes means responsive to the valve''s container pressure for acting on the valving element and biasing the element towards its transfer position.

Claim 10

The system claimed in claim 4 wherein means is included for communicating the source of pressurized gas with the delivery point when the predetermined withdrawal pressure differential between each container and the delivery point occurs.

Claim 11

The system for filling containers with a gas in sequential order claimed in claim 7 wherein: each of the valving element maintaining means for the valves for containers C1 through CN includes means responsive to the pressure in a closed gaseous system in thermal communication with the containers, the predetermined pressure being a direct function of the temperature of the gas in the containers.

Claim 12

The system claimed in claim 1 wherein means is included for communicating the source of pressurized gas with the delivery point when the predetermined withdrawal pressure differential between each container and the delivery point occurs.

Claim 13

The system for filling containers with a gas in sequential order claimed in claim 1 wherein: means is provided for each of the valves to communicate such valve with its container only until the pressure therein and the pressure of a gas in a closed gaseous system in thermal communication with such container reaches a predetermined differential.