Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
In a rotary valve having a body portion formed with at least one intake opening and at least one discharge opening, a distributor member, securing means securing said distributor member to said body portion for angular movement relative to said body portion about an axis and for limited axial movement, operating means for moving said distributor member about said axis, said body portion and said distributor member having respective axially opposite sealing faces formed with respective recesses alignable for connecting said at least one intake opening with said at least one discharge opening in a predetermined angular position of said distributor member for flow of fluid under pressure between said openings, and sealing means for maintaining a predetermined axial distance between said faces, the improvement in the sealing means which comprises: a. respective annular portions of said faces defining a gap therebetween, said gap being offset radially outward from said recesses, and said distributor member having another face directed axially away from said body portion; b. cover means spacedly enveloping said distributor member in sealing engagement with said body portion, said cover means and said other face of said distributor member bounding therebetween a chamber communicating with said gap; and c. pressure relief means for maintaining in said chamber a positive pressure lower than the pressure of said fluid, said pressure relief means including a pressure relief conduit leading outward of said valve from said chamber, and throttling means in said conduit separating two portions of said conduit for maintaining a pressure differential between said portions of said conduit when fluid flows through said conduit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
In a rotary valve having a body portion formed with at least one intake opening and at least one discharge opening, a distributor member, securing means securing said distributor member to said body portion for angular movement relative to said body portion about an axis and for limited axial movement, operating means for moving said distributor member about said axis, said body portion and said distributor member having respective axially opposite sealing faces formed with respective recesses alignable for connecting said at least one intake opening with said at least one discharge opening in a predetermined angular position of said distributor member for flow of fluid under pressure between said openings, and sealing means for maintaining a predetermined axial distance between said faces, the improvement in the sealing means which comprises: a. respective annular portions of said faces defining a gap therebetween, said gap being offset radially outward from said recesses, and said distributor member having another face directed axially away from said body portion; b. cover means spacedly enveloping said distributor member in sealing engagement with said body portion, said cover means and said other face of said distributor member bounding therebetween a chamber communicating with said gap; and c. pressure relief means for maintaining in said chamber a positive pressure lower than the pressure of said fluid, said pressure relief means including a pressure relief conduit leading outward of said valve from said chamber, and throttling means in said conduit separating two portions of said conduit for maintaining a pressure differential between said portions of said conduit when fluid flows through said conduit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a valve as set forth in claim 1, said throttling means including means for generating turbulence in the fluid flowing through said pressure relief conduit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
In a valve as set forth in claim 2, said means for generating turbulence including a throttling member in said conduit formed with an effective flow section substantially smaller than the effective flow section of said portions of the pressure relief conduit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
In a valve as set forth in claim 3, the length of said passage in the direction of fluid flow therethrough being smaller than the greatest dimension of said passage transverse to said direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
In a valve as set forth in claim 3, said annular face portions being planar and parallel, the radial width of each of said face portions being substantially greater than said length of said passage in the direction of fluid flow therethrough.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a valve as set forth in claim 1, a ball bearing operatively and radially interposed between said body portion and said distributor member, said ball bearing being coaxial with said distributor member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
69 words
In a valve as set forth in claim 1, a by-pass conduit connecting said portions of said pressure relief conduit, and manually operated valve means in said by-pass conduit movable between a first position in which said valve means closes said by-pass conduit and a second position in which the effective flow seCtion of said by-pass conduit is substantially greater than the effective flow section of said throttling means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
In a valve as set forth in claim 1, said sealing faces being parallel and perpendicular to said axis, and said annular portions thereof each extending about said axis in a continuous, planar loop.