Control valve

Claim 1

An improved internal combustion engine having a crank case, or the like, a carburetor, or the like, and an intake manifold mounting the latter, wherein the improvement comprises: a flexible conduit connecting between said crankcase and said intake manifold to place same in fluid communication with each other, a valve body mounted in said conduit and having an inlet and an outlet and a cavity communicably connected between said inlet and said outlet, said valve body including a main valve body, an inlet end member, an outlet end member, and an outlet collar member, said inlet end member threadably engages said main valve body member, said collar member mounting on said outlet end member and threadably engages said main valve body member to interconnect said outlet end member and said main valve body, said inlet end member said main body member and said outlet end member being generally aligned with a common axis, a valve seat in said valve body inlet end member, a valve seat closure member in said cavity in a normally engaged position with said valve seat, means in said cavity in contact with said outlet end member to resiliently urge said valve seat closure member into said normally engaged position, said valve seat closure member being a ball member, said valve seat has a generally annular surface to engage said ball member, said means to resiliently urge said ball member to a closed position includes a hollow ball follower member in contact with said ball and a helical spring in contact with said ball follower member, said spring being in compression, said inlet member has said valve seat on the inner end portion thereof, said inlet member and said outlet member each has elongated outer end portions constructed and adapted to be mounted with said flexible conduit, said spring has a spring retaining member on the end thereof opposite said ball contact member, said spring retaining member being in contact with an inner end portion of said outlet end member, said valve body is operable at a pressure differential in the range of 3 to 5 inches of mercury between said outlet and said inlet, and a crankcase vapors trap communicably connected in said conduit before said inlet of said valve, said crankcase vapors trap including an openable container with an inlet and an outlet with means to circulate vapors therein and a reservoir therein, said crankcase vapors trap is constructed and adapted to in use receive crankcase vapors, remove liquid portions therein and pass the resulting vapors to said valve body to prevent fluids from entering said valve, said control valve body being constructed, adapted and connected in said conduit to in use be open when said engine has normal operating pressure in said intake manifold to permit passage of fluid from said crankcase to said intake manifold, and to close when the engine operating pressure in said intake manifold increases to a pressure above normal.