Reactor bypass system

Claim 2

A double acting valve assembly comprising a housing, means providing a pair of inlet ports formed in said housing, means providing an outlet port formed in said housing, a first valve seating ring in one of said inlet ports, said first valve seating ring being capable of limited axial and radial movement, a flexible spring-like second valve seating ring associated with the other of said inlet ports, and a valve stem having a headed valve portion arranged to be seated against said first valve seating ring, said valve stem having an enlarged portion axially spaced from said headed valve portion and arranged to be seated in sealing relation against said second valve seating ring upon axial movement of said valve stem, said enlarged portion engaging said second valve seating ring in passing partially therethrough to cause flexing thereof in achieving said sealing relation.

Claim 3

The valve assembly of claim 1 in which said housing is fomred with a valve seating face to seat said valve head when said enlarged portion is seated against said second valve seating ring.

Claim 4

The valve assembly of claim 1 in which said second valve seating ring is composed of a spring-like material capable of elastic movement upon engagement by said enlarged portion of said valve stem.

Claim 5

The valve assembly of claim 1 in which said second valve seating ring has a beveled inner periphery and said enlarged portion has a frusto-conical face thereon arranged to engage said beveled inner periphery.

Claim 6

A double acting valve assembly comprising a housing, a valve stem guide formed in said housing, a valve member having a stem portion slidably received within said valve stem guide, a flexible spring washer positioned in said housing in close proximity to said valve stem guide, said valve stem having an enlarged portion thereon arranged to engage and flex said spring washer in sealing engagement therewith in one position of said valve member, said valve membeR having a head portion having a pair of valve seating faces thereon, said housing having a valve seat formed therein and arranged to seat one of said valve seating faces in said one position, and a valve seating ring confined within said housing and arranged to seat the other of said valve seating faces in a second position of said valve member.

Claim 7

A double acting valve assembly comprising a housing, a valve stem guide formed in said housing, a valve member having a stem portion slidably received within said valve stem guide, a flexible spring washer positioned in said housing in close proximity to said valve stem guide, said valve stem having an enlarged portion thereon arranged to engage and flex said spring washer in sealing engagement therewith in one position of said valve member, said valve membeR having a head portion having a pair of valve seating faces thereon, said housing having a valve seat formed therein and arranged to seat one of said valve seating faces in said one position, and a valve seating ring confined within said housing and arranged to seat the other of said valve seating faces in a second position of said valve member.

Claim 8

The valve assembly of claim 5 in which said valve seating ring is loosely received within said housing to provide limited axial and radial movement therefor.

Claim 9

The valve assembly of claim 5 which includes an actuator shaft and a fastening means coupling said actuator shaft to said valve stem while providing radial clearance between the two.

Claim 10

The valve assembly of claim 5 in which said spring washer has a beveled inner periphery and said enlarged portion has a frusto-conical portion arranged to engage said beveled inner periphery in sealing engagement.

Claim 11

In an internal combustion engine exhaust system including an exhaust manifold, a catalytic converter receiving the exhaust gases from said exhuast manifold, and an exhaust conduit arranged to vent the gases from said converter, the improvement which comprises bypass means connecting said exhaust manifold to said exhaust conduit, a double-acting valve assembly for selectively directing the output of said exhaust manifold to said converter or to said exhaust conduit, said double-acting valve assembly comprising a housing, a first inlet port in said housing connected to said converter, a second inlet port in said housing connected to said bypass means, an outlet port in said housing connected to said bypass means, an outlet port in said housing connected to said exhaust conduit, a valve stem guide formed in said housing, a valve member having a stem portion slidably received within said valve stem guide, a flexible spring washer positioned in said housing in close proximity to said valve stem guide, said valve stem having an enlarged portion thereon arranged to engage and flex said spring washer in sealing engagement therewith in one position of said valve member, said valve member having a head portion having a pair of valve seating faces thereon, said housing having a valve seat formed therein and arranged to seat one of said valve seating faces in said one position, and a valve seating ring confined within said housing and arranged to seat the other of said valve seating faces in a second position of said valve member, and temperature responsive means associated with said converter to move said valve stem axially between the two seating positions of said valve.

Claim 12

In an internal combustion engine exhaust system including an exhaust manifold, a catalytic converter receiving the exhaust gases from said exhuast manifold, and an exhaust conduit arranged to vent the gases from said converter, the improvement which comprises bypass means connecting said exhaust manifold to said exhaust conduit, a double-acting valve assembly for selectively directing the output of said exhaust manifold to said converter or to said exhaust conduit, said double-acting valve assembly comprising a housing, a first inlet port in said housing connected to said converter, a second inlet port in said housing connected to said bypass means, an outlet port in said housing connected to said bypass means, an outlet port in said housing connected to said exhaust conduit, a valve stem guide formed in said housing, a valve member having a stem portion slidably received within said valve stem guide, a flexible spring washer positioned in said housing in close proximity to said valve stem guide, said valve stem having an enlarged portion thereon arranged to engage and flex said spring washer in sealing engagement therewith in one position of said valve member, said valve member having a head portion having a pair of valve seating faces thereon, said housing having a valve seat formed therein and arranged to seat one of said valve seating faces in said one position, and a valve seating ring confined within said housing and arranged to seat the other of said valve seating faces in a second position of said valve member, and temperature responsive means associated with said converter to move said valve stem axially between the two seating positions of said valve.

Claim 13

The exhaust system of claim 9 in which said valve seating ring is loosely received within said housing to provide limited axial and radial movement therefor.

Claim 14

The exhaust system of claim 9 which includes an actuator shaft and a fastening means coupling said actuator shaft to said valve stem while providing radial clearance between the two.

Claim 15

The exhaust system of claim 9 in which said spring washer has a beveled inner periphery and said enlarged portion has a frusto-conical portion arranged to engage said beveled inner periphery in sealing engagement.