US3768366A — Selective pressure differential reinforcing means

Claim 1

Independent Claim 249 words

In a vehicle having a pumping means which supplies an emission control means with a quantity of air flow under pressure, and a braking system powered by servomotor means which is operated by the creation of a pressure differential between vacuum and air pressure across a wall means separating a front chamber from a rear chamber by removing vacuum communication in the air chamber in response to an actuation valve moved by an operator, switching means responsive to an operational signal for reinforcing said pressure differential in said servomotor through diversion of the air flow associated with said pumping means, said switching means comprising: a housing having an internal chamber with a first port, a second port and a third port therein, said first port being connected to said servomotor means, said second port and said third port being connected together to provide a first flow path for said air flow of the pumping means; sensing means located in said housing and connected to said servomotor means for perceiving said operational signal; and valve means located in said housing and connected to said sensing means for sealing one of said second and third ports upon said operational signal being perceived to establish uninterrupted communication between the first port and the other of said second and third ports to develop a second flow path for said air flow, said air flow in the second flow path acting on said wall means to increase the Operational output of the servomotor means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 249 words

In a vehicle having a pumping means which supplies an emission control means with a quantity of air flow under pressure, and a braking system powered by servomotor means which is operated by the creation of a pressure differential between vacuum and air pressure across a wall means separating a front chamber from a rear chamber by removing vacuum communication in the air chamber in response to an actuation valve moved by an operator, switching means responsive to an operational signal for reinforcing said pressure differential in said servomotor through diversion of the air flow associated with said pumping means, said switching means comprising: a housing having an internal chamber with a first port, a second port and a third port therein, said first port being connected to said servomotor means, said second port and said third port being connected together to provide a first flow path for said air flow of the pumping means; sensing means located in said housing and connected to said servomotor means for perceiving said operational signal; and valve means located in said housing and connected to said sensing means for sealing one of said second and third ports upon said operational signal being perceived to establish uninterrupted communication between the first port and the other of said second and third ports to develop a second flow path for said air flow, said air flow in the second flow path acting on said wall means to increase the Operational output of the servomotor means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 91 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 1, wherein said valve means includes: a shaft having one end extending through an opening in a partition separating said second port from said first port and said third port and another end retained in a bearing wall of said housing; and a resilient disc located on said one end, said resilient disc being adapted to seal said first port during air flow in said first flow path and to seal said opening in the partition with air flow in the second flow path.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 57 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 2, wherein said sensing means includes: solenoid means located in said housing adjacent said other end of said shaft, said solenoid means being activated in conjunction with a brake indication light to immediately move said shaft through magnetic attraction with said other end to seat said disc on the partition.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 3, wherein said second flow path is connected to intensify said vacuum in the servomotor.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 121 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 2, wherein said switching means includes: a diaphragm attached to said other end of the shaft having its periphery secured to said housing for dividing a portion of the cavity into a first atmospheric chamber and a vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber being connected to said rear chamber to receive the vacuum in the rear chamber, said housing having a first passage through which air is freely communicated to said first atmospheric chamber, said air in the first atmospheric chamber and vacuum in the vacuum chamber creating a second pressure differential which overcomes a resilient means and holds said disc against the partition to allow said air flow to follow said first flow path.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 125 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 5, wherein said housing further includes: a second atmospheric chamber adjacent said partition having a second passage from the atmosphere into the second atmospheric chamber; and allowing air to flow from the atmosphere into said second atmospheric chamber while preventing backflow therethrough, said first port being connected to said actuation valve to allow air at atmospheric pressure to be communicated to the rear chamber upon operational engagement by the operator to simultaneously create said first pressure differential in said servomotor means and eliminate the second pressure differential across said diaphragm and allow the resilient means to seat on the housing interrupting air flow through said third port and permit said air flow access to said second flow path.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 52 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 6, wherein said air flow in said second path enters said second atmospheric chamber above atmospheric pressure closing said check valve means and entering said rear chamber to create said first pressure differential across said wall means through vacuum and air pressure above atmospheric pressure.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 78 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 1, wherein said valve means includes: a first shaft having one end extending through an opening in a partition separating said third port from said first port and said second port and another end retained in a bearing wall in said housing; and a resilient disc located on said one end, said resilient disc being adapted to seal said opening in the partition with air flowing in said second flow path.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 127 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 8, wherein said sensing means includes: a diaphragm attached to the other end of the first shaft having its periphery secured to said housing for dividing a portion of said cavity into a first atmospheric chamber and a vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber being connected to said rear chamber to receive the vacuum available to the rear chamber, said housing having a first passage adjacent said partition through which air is freely communicated to said first atmospheric chamber, said air in the first atmospheric chamber and vacuum in the vacuum chamber Creating a second pressure differential which overcomes a resilient means and holds said disc away from said partition to allow said air flow to follow said first flow path.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 136 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 9, wherein said housing further includes: a second atmospheric chamber adjacent said cavity with a second passage therebetween; and check valve means located in said second passage for allowing air at atmospheric pressure to flow into the cavity while preventing backflow therethrough, said first port being connected to said actuation valve to allow air at atmospheric pressure and the air flow from the pumping means to the rear chamber to create said first pressure differential in said servomotor means and eliminate the second pressure differential across said diaphragm, said second resilient means moving said first shaft with the elimination of said second pressure differential to seat said disc on said partition to interrupt air flow through said third port and shift said air flow to said second flow path.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 85 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 10 further including: a second shaft retained in said housing having a cap on one end and a head on the other end, said head being located in said vacuum chamber, said cap being located in a monitoring chamber; and electrical contact means located in said monitoring chamber and engageable with said cap to supply an indicator with a signal to give a visual sign of the flow path the air flow from the pumping means is traversing.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 80 words

The switching means, as recited in claim 11 further including: solenoid means having a resiliently positioned plunger for sealing an atmospheric opening in the connection between the vacuum chamber and the rear chamber, said solenoid means being actuated upon an operator positioning an ignition switch to start allowing air at atmospheric pressure to enter said vacuum chamber whereby said resilient means will move said first shaft away from said second shaft to permit the electrical contact to transmit said signal.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-10-29	1977-04-30	1977-10-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-10-29	1981-04-30	1981-10-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-10-29	1985-04-30	1985-10-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Selective pressure differential reinforcing means

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