Combined pressure regulator and shutoff valve

Claim 1

A valve for achieving flow control over a stream of pressurized fluid comprising: A. a valve housing having means defining therein a fluid inlet orifice, a fluid discharge orifice and a passage for pressurized fluids extended therebetween; B. means defining within said passage a sealable port of cylindrical configuration; C. a ball supported within said passage for incremental movement between a first position, wherein said ball is seated in said port in a sealing relationship therewith for interrupting a flow of pressurized fluid therethrough, and a second position, wherein said ball is disposed in spaced relation with the port for accommodating a flow of pressurized fluid therethrough; D. means for continuously urging said ball in displacement toward said first position including a first helical spring seated within said passage in contiguous relation with said ball; E. means for displacing said ball toward said second position including, 1. an axially movable pintle having one end extended axially through said port into abutting engagement with the ball, and 2. means supporting said pintle for axial motion relative to said port including an axially displaceable disk disposed in coaxial alignment with the opposite end of said pintle and rigidly affixed thereto; and F. means for imparting axial motion to said pintle including, 1. a flexible diaphragm secured to said disk and extended radially from the periphery thereof into sealed relation with said housing for defining within the housiNg an hermetically sealed, expansible plenum chamber communicating with said port and said fluid discharge orifice for moving said pintle in a first direction relative to said port in response to increased pressures within said plenum chamber, and 2. means for continously urging said pintle in displacement in a second direction opposite said first direction including a second helical spring, having one end portion engaging said disk, extended away from said plenum chamber, reactive stop means for supporting said second helical spring including an axially movable block having a tubular bore extended axially therethrough in coaxial alignment with said port, means including a mounting post concentrically related to said bore for receiving the opposite end portion of said second helical spring in a concentric relationship, means for imparting axial motion to said movable block including means for supporting said block against rotary motion, a drive shaft supported for rotary motion and extended concentrically through said bore, a ball-and-groove coupling interconnecting said drive shaft and said block, including means defining opposed helical grooves extended along the adjacent surfaces of said drive shaft and said bore, a plurality of balls seated in said opposed grooves, drive means including a reversible stepper motor, and a gear train connecting said stepper motor with said drive shaft for imparting rotary motion to the drive shaft, whereby axial motion is imparted to said block for axially displacing said second helical spring relative to said plenum chamber.