Flow-control device

Claim 2

A flow-controlling device comprising a housing having a chamber therein, said housing having an inlet for receiving fluid, a first outlet for discharging said fluid, and a second outlet, a first valve means in said chamber, said first valve means being movable between a first position closing said inlet and a second position remote from said inlet for allowing fluid to flow between said inlet and said first outlet, said first valve means having an opening therethrough communicating with said inlet, a pin slidably received in said opening, said first valve means at said opening having a seat intermediate the ends of said opening, said pin having a surface substantially complementary to said seat, said pin and said first valve means being relatively movable between an outward position of said pin in which said surface engages said seat and closes said opening for preventing flow through said opening and an inward position of said pin in which said surface is remote from said seat and allows flow through said opening into said chamber, said pin inwardly of said first valve means when said pin is in said outward position presenting a greater pressure area to fluid in said chamber than the pressure area thereof presented to fluid in said inlet, whereby pressurized fluid in said chamber can maintain said pin in said outward position thereof, a second valve means at said second outlet, said second valve means being movable between an outer position in which said second valve means closes said second outlet and an inner position in which said second valve means allows flow through said second outlet, said pin being engageable with said second valve means when said pin is in said inward position thereof, and means responsive to the level of water exteriorly of said housing for moving said second valve means to said inner position thereof in response to the dropping of said water level below a predetermined height, and releasing said second valve means upon the raising of said water level to said predetermined height, whereby when said second valve means is moved to said inner position thereof the pressure in said chamber inwardly of said first valve means is relieved so that pressure in said inlet moves said pin to said inward position thereof and moves said first valve means to said second position thereof for permitting fluid to flow to said first outlet, said first valve means when so moved to said second position thereof being moved relative to said pin so as to cause said pin to assume said outward position thereof for closing said opening in said first valve means and preventing flow through said first valve means, and when said means responsive to water level releases said second valve means said pin moves said second valve means to said outer position thereof and said chamber inwardly of said first valve means is pressurized by fluid from said inlet to move said first valve means to said first position thereof.

Claim 3

A device as reciTed in claim 1 in which said first valve means when in said first position thereof presents a greater pressure area to fluid in said chamber than the pressure area presented to fluid in said inlet, whereby pressurized fluid in said chamber can maintain said first valve means in said first position.

Claim 4

A flow-controlling device comprising a housing having a chamber therein, said housing having an inlet for receiving fluid, a first outlet for discharging said fluid, and a second outlet, a first valve means in said chamber, said first valve means being sealed relative to the periphery of said chamber and presenting a first side adjacent said inlet and said first outlet, and a second side adjacent said second outlet, said first valve means normally being in a first position closing said inlet and being movable in response to a predetermined pressure on said first side thereof relative to the pressure on said second side thereof to a second position remote from said inlet for permitting fluid to flow from said inlet to said first outlet, said first valve means having an opening therethrough communicating with said inlet, and having a seat, a floating valve member, said floating valve member normally engaging said seat for preventing fluid flow through said opening, a second valve means at said second outlet, said second valve means being movable between an outer position in which said second valve means closes said second outlet and an inner position in which said second valve means allows flow through said second outlet, said second valve means being normally remote from said floating valve member, means responsive to the level of fluid exteriorly of said housing for moving said second valve means to said inner position thereof in response to the dropping of said fluid level below a predetermined height, whereby the pressure is relieved on said second side of said first valve means, said floating valve member being movable in response to fluid pressure in said inlet to a position of engage-ment with said second valve means for urging said second valve means to said outer position thereof when said pressure is so relieved on said second side of said first valve means, said first valve means being movable to said second position thereof when said pressure is so relieved, whereby with said floating valve member so engaging said second valve means said floating valve member is held by said first valve means against said seat, said means responsive to the level of fluid exteriorly of said housing releasing said second valve means upon the raising of said fluid level to said predeter-mined height, whereby said floating valve member moves to a position remote from said seat and moves said second valve means to said outer position thereof, and fluid from said inlet passing through said opening pressurizes said chamber on said second side of said first valve means and moves said first valve means to said first position thereof and said floating valve member is returned to said normal engagement with said seat, and antisiphon means in said housing, said antisiphon means having air inlet means in the upper portion of said housing, said means responsive to the level of fluid exteriorly of said housing including a float having an annular buoyant portion around said housing, and an upper wall means inwardly of said annular buoyant portion and extending over said housing, said upper wall means having aperture means therethrough for permitting air to flow to said air inlet means and for venting the space within said annular buoyant portion.

Claim 5

A flow-controlling device comprising a housing having a chamber therein, said housing having an inlet for receiving fluid, a first outlet for discharging said fluid, and a second outlet, a first valve means in said chamber, said first valve means being sealed relative to the periphery of said chamber and presenting a first side adjacent said inlet and said first outlet, and a second side adjacent said second outlet, said first valve means normally being in a first position closing said inlet and being movable in response to a predetermined pressure on said first side thereof relative to the pressure on said second side thereof to a second position remote from said inlet for permitting fluid to flow from said inlet to said first outlet, said first valve means having an opening therethrough communicating with said inlet, and having a seat, a floating valve member, said floating valve member normally engaging said seat for preventing fluid flow through said opening, a second valve means at said second outlet, said second valve means being movable between an outer position in which said second valve means closes said second outlet and an inner position in which said second valve means allows flow through said second outlet, said second valve means being normally remote from said floating valve member, means responsive to the level of fluid exteriorly of said housing for moving said second valve means to said inner position thereof in response to the dropping of said fluid level below a predetermined height, whereby the pressure is relieved on said second side of said first valve means, said floating valve member being movable in response to fluid pressure in said inlet to a position of engage-ment with said second valve means for urging said second valve means to said outer position thereof when said pressure is so relieved on said second side of said first valve means, said first valve means being movable to said second position thereof when said pressure is so relieved, whereby with said floating valve member so engaging said second valve means said floating valve member is held by said first valve means against said seat, said means responsive to the level of fluid exteriorly of said housing releasing said second valve means upon the raising of said fluid level to said predeter-mined height, whereby said floating valve member moves to a position remote from said seat and moves said second valve means to said outer position thereof, and fluid from said inlet passing through said opening pressurizes said chamber on said second side of said first valve means and moves said first valve means to said first position thereof and said floating valve member is returned to said normal engagement with said seat, and antisiphon means in said housing, said antisiphon means having air inlet means in the upper portion of said housing, said means responsive to the level of fluid exteriorly of said housing including a float having an annular buoyant portion around said housing, and an upper wall means inwardly of said annular buoyant portion and extending over said housing, said upper wall means having aperture means therethrough for permitting air to flow to said air inlet means and for venting the space within said annular buoyant portion.

Claim 6

A device as recited in claim 3 in which said annular buoyant portion is closed at the top and open at the bottom, whereby air is retained therein for imparting buoyancy thereto.

Claim 7

A flow-controlling device comprising a housing having a chamber therein, said housing having an inlet for receivIng fluid, a first outlet for discharging said fluid, and a second outlet, a first valve means in said chamber, said first valve means being movable between a first position closing said inlet and a second position remote from said inlet for allowing fluid to flow between said inlet and said first outlet, said first valve means having an opening therethrough communicating with said inlet, a pin slidably received in said opening, said first valve means at said opening having a seat intermediate the ends of said opening, said pin having a surface substantially complementary to said seat, said pin being movable between an outward position in which said surface engages said seat and closes said opening and an inward position in which said surface is remote from said seat and allows flow through said opening into said chamber, a second valve means at said second outlet, said second valve means being movable between an outer position in which said second valve means closes said second outlet and an inner position in which said second valve means allows flow through said second outlet, said pin being engageable with said second valve means when said pin is in said inward position thereof, and means responsive to the level of water exteriorly of said housing for moving said second valve means to said inner position thereof in response to the dropping of said water level below a predetermined height, and releasing said second valve means upon the raising of said water level to said predetermined height, whereby when said second valve means is moved to said inner position thereof the pressure in said chamber inwardly of said first valve means is relieved so that pressure in said inlet moves said pin to said inward position thereof and moves said first valve means to said second position thereof for permitting fluid to flow to said first outlet, and when said means responsive to water level releases said second valve means said pin moves said second valve means to said outer position thereof and said chamber inwardly of said first valve means is pressurized by fluid from said inlet to move said first valve means to said first position thereof and said pin to said outward position thereof, said means responsive to the level of water exteriorly of said housing being a float, said float including an annular portion, said annular portion including a duality of spaced continuous sidewalls impervious to the flow of water, and an upper wall means closing the space between said duality of walls at the upper portions thereof thereby to define an annular chamber, said annular chamber being open at the bottom, said annular portion defining a space inwardly thereof, said upper wall means including a portion extending over said space, said portion having a vent opening therethrough.

Claim 8

A flow-controlling device comprising a housing having a chamber therein, said housing having an inlet for receivIng fluid, a first outlet for discharging said fluid, and a second outlet, a first valve means in said chamber, said first valve means being movable between a first position closing said inlet and a second position remote from said inlet for allowing fluid to flow between said inlet and said first outlet, said first valve means having an opening therethrough communicating with said inlet, a pin slidably received in said opening, said first valve means at said opening having a seat intermediate the ends of said opening, said pin having a surface substantially complementary to said seat, said pin being movable between an outward position in which said surface engages said seat and closes said opening and an inward position in which said surface is remote from said seat and allows flow through said opening into said chamber, a second valve means at said second outlet, said second valve means being movable between an outer position in which said second valve means closes said second outlet and an inner position in which said second valve means allows flow through said second outlet, said pin being engageable with said second valve means when said pin is in said inward position thereof, and means responsive to the level of water exteriorly of said housing for moving said second valve means to said inner position thereof in response to the dropping of said water level below a predetermined height, and releasing said second valve means upon the raising of said water level to said predetermined height, whereby when said second valve means is moved to said inner position thereof the pressure in said chamber inwardly of said first valve means is relieved so that pressure in said inlet moves said pin to said inward position thereof and moves said first valve means to said second position thereof for permitting fluid to flow to said first outlet, and when said means responsive to water level releases said second valve means said pin moves said second valve means to said outer position thereof and said chamber inwardly of said first valve means is pressurized by fluid from said inlet to move said first valve means to said first position thereof and said pin to said outward position thereof, said means responsive to the level of water exteriorly of said housing being a float, said float including an annular portion, said annular portion including a duality of spaced continuous sidewalls impervious to the flow of water, and an upper wall means closing the space between said duality of walls at the upper portions thereof thereby to define an annular chamber, said annular chamber being open at the bottom, said annular portion defining a space inwardly thereof, said upper wall means including a portion extending over said space, said portion having a vent opening therethrough.