Regulator and shutoff valve

Claim 2

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve, comprising: a. means forming a fluid flow passage; b. a main valve means disposed in said passage for movement between open and closed positions to control fluid flow through the passage; c. fluid pressure responsive actuator means connected with said main valve means to effect the operation thereof; d. a first means for applying fluid pressure from a source upstream of said main valve means to said actuator means to effect the operation of said valve means; e. a second means for regulating the pressure of fluid applied to said actuator means, said second means having relief valve means with an inlet communicating with said source and said actuator means and an outlet communicating with the downstream side of said main valve, said relief valve means being responsive to pressure downstream of said main valve to restrict the pressure from said source applied to said actuator to a predetermiNed value in excess of such downstream pressure; and f. a selectively actuated valve to alternately connect the inlet of said actuator and relief valve means with said fluid pressure source and the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 3

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve, comprising: a. means forming a fluid flow passage; b. a main valve means disposed in said passage for movement between open and closed positions to control fluid flow through the passage; c. fluid pressure responsive actuator means connected with said main valve means to effect the operation thereof; d. means for applying fluid pressure from a source upstream of said main valve means to said actuator means to effect the operation of said valve means; e. relief valve means with an inlet communicating with said source and said actuator means and an outlet communicating with the downstream side of said main valve, said relief valve means being responsive to pressure downstream of said main valve to restrict the pressure applied to said actuator to a predetermined value in excess of such downstream pressure; f. a selectively actuated valve to alternately connect the inlet of said actuator and relief valve means with said fluid pressure source and the ambient atmosphere; and g. a check valve disposed downstream of said selectively actuated valve and upstream of said actuator and said relief valve means, said check valve having an orifice to limit fluid flow from said source to said relief valve means and actuator and a part which is movable when said selectively actuated valve connects said check valve with the ambient atmosphere to permit substantially unrestricted flow from said actuator to the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 4

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve, comprising: a. means forming a fluid flow passage; b. a main valve means disposed in said passage for movement between open and closed positions to control fluid flow through the passage; c. fluid pressure responsive actuator means connected with said main valve means to effect the operation thereof; d. means for applying fluid pressure from a source upstream of said main valve means to said actuator means to effect the operation of said valve means; e. relief valve means with an inlet communicating with said source and said actuator means and an outlet communicating with the downstream side of said main valve, said relief valve means being responsive to pressure downstream of said main valve to restrict the pressure applied to said actuator to a predetermined value in excess of such downstream pressure; f. a selectively actuated valve to alternately connect the inlet of said actuator and relief valve means with said fluid pressure source and the ambient atmosphere; and g. a check valve disposed downstream of said selectively actuated valve and upstream of said actuator and said relief valve means, said check valve having an orifice to limit fluid flow from said source to said relief valve means and actuator and a part which is movable when said selectively actuated valve connects said check valve with the ambient atmosphere to permit substantially unrestricted flow from said actuator to the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 5

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve according to claim 2 in which a second check valve is disposed between said relief valve means and said actuator, said second check valve having an orifice to limit fluid flow from said source to said actuator and being movable to permit substantially unrestricted flow from said actuator to the ambient atmosphere when said selectively actuated valve connects said check valve with the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 6

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve, comprising: a. means forming a fluid flow passage; b. a main valve means disposed in said passage for movement between open and closed positions to control fluid flow through the passage; c. fluid pressure responsive actuator means connected with said main valve means to effect the operation thereof; d. a first means for applying fluid pressure from a source upstream of said main valve means to said actuator means to effect the operation of said valve means; and e. a second means for regulating the pressure of fluid applied to said actuator means, said second means having relief valve means with an inlet communicating with said source and said actuator means and an outlet communicating with the downstream side of said main valve, said relief valve means being responsive to pressure downstream of said main valve to restrict the pressure from said source applied to said actuator to a predetermined value in excess of such downstream pressure, said relief valve means having a valve element biased toward open position by pressure from said source and toward closed position by the combination of pressure downstream of said main valve and a resilient means exerting a predetermined force; and f. a reference regulator valve means having an inlet communicating with the inlet of said relief valve means and with the inlet of said actuator, an outlet communicating with the ambient atmosphere, and a valve element for controlling communication between the inlet and outlet of said referenced regulator valve means, said valve element being exposed to actuator supply pressure and pressure downstream of said main valve and responsive to a predetermined increase in actuator supply pressUre to establish communication between the reference regulator valve inlet and outlet.

Claim 7

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve, comprising: a. means forming a fluid flow passage; b. a main valve means disposed in said passage for movement between open and closed positions to control fluid flow through the passage; c. fluid pressure responsive actuator means connected with said main valve means to effect the operation thereof; d. a first means for applying fluid pressure from a source upstream of said main valve means to said actuator means to effect the operation of said valve means; and e. a second means for regulating the pressure of fluid applied to said actuator means, said second means having relief valve means with an inlet communicating with said source and said actuator means and an outlet communicating with the downstream side of said main valve, said relief valve means being responsive to pressure downstream of said main valve to restrict the pressure from said source applied to said actuator to a predetermined value in excess of such downstream pressure, said relief valve means having a valve element biased toward open position by pressure from said source and toward closed position by the combination of pressure downstream of said main valve and a resilient means exerting a predetermined force; and f. a reference regulator valve means having an inlet communicating with the inlet of said relief valve means and with the inlet of said actuator, an outlet communicating with the ambient atmosphere, and a valve element for controlling communication between the inlet and outlet of said referenced regulator valve means, said valve element being exposed to actuator supply pressure and pressure downstream of said main valve and responsive to a predetermined increase in actuator supply pressUre to establish communication between the reference regulator valve inlet and outlet.

Claim 8

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve comprising: a. means forming a fluid flow passage; b. a main valve means disposed in said passage for movement between open and closed positions to control fluid flow through the passage; c. a duct communicating at its ends with said fluid flow passage at the upstream and downstream sides of said main valve; d. actuator means connected with said main valve means to effect operation thereof, said actuator means having movable wall means exposed to pressure fluid receiving chambers to cause opening and closing movement of said main valve means; e. relief valve means disposed in said duct and having an element responsive to a pressure differential between the upstream and downstream sides thereof to establish flow through said duct, the fluid chamber of said actuator means which receives main valve opening pressure communicating with the duct at the upstream side of said relief valve means and the fluid chamber of said actuator means which receives main valve closing pressure communicating with the duct at the downstream side of said relief valve means; f. a start/stop valve in said duct selectively operative to establish fluid flow from said passage therethrough or interrupt such flow and connect the duct at the upstream side of said relief valve with the ambient atmosphere; g. check valve means between said actuator and said start/stop valve operative to restrict flow toward said actuator and provide substantially unrestricted flow in the opposite direction; and h. reference regulator valve means communicating with said duct at the upstream and downstream sides of said relief valve means, said reference regulator valve means having an outlet to the ambient atmosphere and a poppet element exposed to main valve opening pressure and pressure downstream of said main valve, said poppet element being responsive to a predetermined increase in main valve opening pressure to vent a part of such pressure to the ambient atmosphere and maintain the pressure within a predetermined range.

Claim 9

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve comprising: a. means forming a fluid flow passage; b. a main valve means disposed in said passage for movement between open and closed positions to control fluid flow through the passage; c. a duct communicating at its ends with said fluid flow passage at the upstream and downstream sides of said main valve; d. actuator means connected with said main valve means to effect operation thereof, said actuator means having movable wall means exposed to pressure fluid receiving chambers to cause opening and closing movement of said main valve means; e. relief valve means disposed in said duct and having an element responsive to a pressure differential between the upstream and downstream sides thereof to establish flow through said duct, the fluid chamber of said actuator means which receives main valve opening pressure communicating with the duct at the upstream side of said relief valve means and the fluid chamber of said actuator means which receives main valve closing pressure communicating with the duct at the downstream side of said relief valve means; f. a start/stop valve in said duct selectively operative to establish fluid flow from said passage therethrough or interrupt such flow and connect the duct at the upstream side of said relief valve with the ambient atmosphere; g. check valve means between said actuator and said start/stop valve operative to restrict flow toward said actuator and provide substantially unrestricted flow in the opposite direction; and h. reference regulator valve means communicating with said duct at the upstream and downstream sides of said relief valve means, said reference regulator valve means having an outlet to the ambient atmosphere and a poppet element exposed to main valve opening pressure and pressure downstream of said main valve, said poppet element being responsive to a predetermined increase in main valve opening pressure to vent a part of such pressure to the ambient atmosphere and maintain the pressure within a predetermined range.

Claim 10

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve comprising: a. means forming a fluid flow passage; b. a main valve means disposed in said passage for movement between open and closed positions to control fluid flow through said passage; c. fluid pressure responsive actuator means connected with said main valve means to effect the operation thereof, d. a first means for applying fluid pressure from a source to said actuator means to effect the operation of said valve means; e. a second means for regulating the pressure of fluid applied to said actuator means, said second means having relief valve means with an inlet communicating with said source and said actuator means and an outlet communicating with the downstream side of said main valve, said relief valve means being responsive to pressure downstream of said main valve to restrict the pressure from said source applied to said actuator to a predetermined value in excess of such downstream pressure; f. wall means dividing said actuator means into two chambers, one side of said wall means being exposed to pressure downstream of said main valve to oppose movement of said main valve toward the open position and the other side of said wall means being exposed to pressure as regulated by said relief valve means to move said main valve toward the open position, the portion of said wall exposed to pressure downstream of said main valve being of a smaller area than the area exposed to the pressure regulated by the relief valve; and g. resilient means connected to said actuator means to supplement the pressure downstream of said main valve in opposing movement of said main valve toward the open position.

Claim 11

A pressure regulating and shutoff valve comprising: a. means forming a fluid flow passage; b. a main valve means disposed in said passage for movement between open and closed positions to control fluid flow through said passage; c. fluid pressure responsive actuator means connected with said main valve means to effect the operation thereof, d. a first means for applying fluid pressure from a source to said actuator means to effect the operation of said valve means; e. a second means for regulating the pressure of fluid applied to said actuator means, said second means having relief valve means with an inlet communicating with said source and said actuator means and an outlet communicating with the downstream side of said main valve, said relief valve means being responsive to pressure downstream of said main valve to restrict the pressure from said source applied to said actuator to a predetermined value in excess of such downstream pressure; f. wall means dividing said actuator means into two chambers, one side of said wall means being exposed to pressure downstream of said main valve to oppose movement of said main valve toward the open position and the other side of said wall means being exposed to pressure as regulated by said relief valve means to move said main valve toward the open position, the portion of said wall exposed to pressure downstream of said main valve being of a smaller area than the area exposed to the pressure regulated by the relief valve; and g. resilient means connected to said actuator means to supplement the pressure downstream of said main valve in opposing movement of said main valve toward the open position.