Five-way control valve and system

Claim 1

A five-way valve for use in motor vehicle evaporative control systems, comprising: A. a valve body having an upper outlet end portion, lower inlet end portion and an intermediate ball valve housing portion; B. a conical ball valve seat in the lower end of the ball valve housing portion adjacent the inlet end portion defining an open upper end and tapering to an open lower end smaller in diameter than the upper end, a peripheral abutment means disposed about the upper end of the seat; C. a freely movable ball in the ball valve housing portion, the normal position of which is in the ball valve seat by virtue of its weight, thus closing the valve to flow therethrough the diameter of the ball being smaller than that of the upper end of the seat but larger than that of the lower end of the seat; D. an upper valve seat in the lower inlet end portion having an axial opening communicating with the ball valve housing portion; E. an upper valve closure member in the inlet end portion beneath the upper seat adapted to move upwardly against the underside of the upper valve seat to close the valve to flow therethrough, the member having a plunger rod extending from its upper surface through the valve seat opening and contacting the ball whereby the member is spaced from the valve seat when the ball is seated; F. a lower valve seat in the inlet end portion having an axial opening communicating with the atmosphere; G. a lower valve closure member in the inlet portion above the lower seat, the member being adapted for movement downwardly against the lower seat to close the opening to the atmosphere; H. spring biasing means in the inlet portion extending between the upper closure member and the lower closure member, the tension of the spring being such that the lower closure member is normally urged against the lower seat while the upper closure member is urged downwardly from the upper seat by the weight of the ball, and I. an opening in the inlet end portion intermediate the valve closure members for receiving fuel vapors.