Adjustable stepped-opening diaphragm gas valve

Claim 2

In a stepped-opening pressure-operated valve device, a biased closed main valve, an expansible chamber operative when expanding to move said valve openward, means to supply fluid pressure to said chamber including an open or closed control valve, an adjustably biased pressure regulator controlling the pressure in said chamber and operative to effect an increase in pressure when the bias thereon is increased, a delayed action actuator operative to increase the regulator bias subsequent to opening of said control valve, first adjustable means for presetting an initial regulator bias and for presetting a limit to which said actuator increases said initial bias, second adjustable means for presetting a higher initial regulator bias and for presetting a higher limit to which said actuator increases said higher initial bias, and a member movable oppositely to alternately shift said first and second adjustable means between operative and inoperative positions.

Claim 3

The device claimed in claim 1 in which said first adjustable means comprises independently adjustable elements for presetting an initial regulator bias and for presetting the limit to which said actuator can increase the initial regulator bias.

Claim 4

The device claimed in claim 1 in which said first and second adjustable means each comprise independently adjustable elements for presetting an initial regulator bias value and for presetting the limit to which said actuator can increase the initial bias value.

Claim 5

The device claimed in claim 3 in which said first and second adjustable means each comprise two independently adjustable abutments and in which means movable with said actuator engages said adjustable abutments of one or the other of said adjustable means.

Claim 6

The device claimed in claim 4 in which one of said abutments of said first adjustable means and one of said abutments of said second adjustable means are adjustably mounted on said movable member and are jointly shifted between a first operative position in which one of said abutments is engaged by said means movable with said actuator and the other is not and a second operative position in which the other of said abutments is engaged and the one is not.

Claim 7

In a stepped-opening diaphragm valve device having a biased closed main valve, means controlling the operating pressure applied to one side of the diaphragm including a control valve and a spring biased pressure regulator operative in response to an increase in the bias thereon to effect increased opening of said valve, and a delayed action actuator operative to increase the regulator bias from an initial preset bias to a greater bias in a short period of time following the opening of said control valve; an improvement comprising means movable with and forming an operative connection between said actuator and said regulator biasing spring, two pairs of spaced abutments arranged to be selectively engaged by said operative connecting means, the first abutment of each pair establishing an initial regulator bias and the second abutment of each pair establishing a limit to which said actuator increases said bias, and means to jointly shift said first abutment of one pair and said second abutment of the other pair relative to the first abutment of the other pair and the second abutment of the first pair, whereby either of two combinations of initial and increased regulator bias values may be conveniently selected.

Claim 8

In a stepped-opening diaphragm valve device having a biased closed main valve, means controlling the operating pressure applied to one side of the diaphragm including a control valve and a spring biased pressure regulator operative in response to an increase in the bias thereon to effect increased opening of said valve, and a delayed action actuator operative to increase the regulator bias from an initial preset bias to a greater bias in a short period of time following the opening of said control valve; an improvement comprising means movable with and forming an operative connection between said actuator and said regulator biasing spring, two pairs of spaced abutments arranged to be selectively engaged by said operative connecting means, the first abutment of each pair establishing an initial regulator bias and the second abutment of each pair establishing a limit to which said actuator increases said bias, and means to jointly shift said first abutment of one pair and said second abutment of the other pair relative to the first abutment of the other pair and the second abutment of the first pair, whereby either of two combinations of initial and increased regulator bias values may be conveniently selected.

Claim 9

The device claimed in claim 6 in which said first abutment of one pair of abutments and said second abutment of the other pair of abutments are mounted on a member movable with respect to the other of said abutments, said movable member being movable to a first operative position in which said first abutment of said one pair is operatively engaged and said second abutment of said other pair is spaced from engagement, and said movable member being movable oppositely to a second operating position in which said second abutment of said one pair is operatively engaged and said first member is spaced from engagement.

Claim 10

The device claimed in claim 7 including spring means biasing said movable member in one of said operative positions and means releasably latching said movable member in the other of said operative positions.

Claim 11

The device claimed in claim 7 in which two of said abutments are adjustably mounted on said movable member.

Claim 12

The device claimed in claim 7 in which one abutment of each pair is adjustably mounted on said movable member and one abutment of each pair is adjustably mounted on support means fixed with relation to said connecting means and said movable member.