Diverter valve and pressure regulator assembly

Claim 2

A diverter valve and pressure regulator assembly for use on An internal combustion engine having an exhaust system, an air pump, and an auxiliary pneumatic device, said assembly comprising a housing having an inlet adapted to receive air from said pump, an outlet adapted to discharge air to said exhaust system, and a valve seat intermediate said inlet and said outlet, a diverter valve member associated with said valve seat, a spring biasing said diverter valve member toward said valve seat to restrict air flow from said inlet to said outlet, and a diaphragm secured to said housing to define a regulated pressure chamber therebetween, a passage extending from said inlet to said chamber to supply air thereto, said chamber being adapted for connection to said device to supply air thereto, said diaphragm being connected to said diverter valve member and responsive to the pressure in said regulated pressure chamber to shift said diverter valve member away from said valve seat against the bias of said spring when the pressure in said chamber exceeds a predetermined minimum and to permit said spring to shift said diverter valve member toward said valve seat when the pressure in said chamber drops below said minimum whereby air flow through said outlet is restricted to charge said regulated pressure chamber and said device to said minimum pressure, and which further comprises means responsive to engine operating conditions for equalizing the pressures across said actuating diaphragm to permit said spring to shift said diverter valve member toward said valve seat whereby air flow through said outlet to said exhaust system is restricted.

Claim 3

A diverter valve and pressure regulator assembly for use on an internal combustion engine having an exhaust system, an air pump, and an auxiliary pneumatic device, said assembly comprising an upper housing having an inlet adapted to receive air from said pump, an outlet adapted to discharge air to said exhaust system, and a valve seat intermediate said inlet and said outlet, a diverter valve member biased into engagement with said valve seat, a stem secured to said valve member, a diaphragm secured to said stem and defining a regulated pressure chamber with said housing, said stem having a passage connecting said inlet and said chamber for supplying air thereto, said chamber being adapted for connection to said device for supplying air thereto, a check valve in said passage for preventing air flow from said chamber to said inlet, said diaphragm being responsive to the pressure in said regulated pressure chamber to shift said diverter valve member away from said valve seat when the pressure in said chamber exceeds a predetermined minimum and to permit said diverter valve member to engage said valve seat when the pressure in said chamber is below said minimum whereby air flow through said outlet is restricted to charge said regulated pressure chamber and said device to said minimum pressure, a lower housing defining a bias chamber with said actuating diaphragm, said lower housing having a restricted aperture opening from said bias chamber and a passage connecting said regulated pressure chamber and said bias chamber, a control valve in said housing passage biased to prevent flow from said regulated pressure chamber to said bias chamber, and means for operating said control valve to permit flow from said regulated pressure chamber to said bias chamber and thereby equalize the pressures therein to permit said diverter valve to engage said valve seat and thus restrict flow to the engine exhaust system.

Claim 4

A diverter valve and pressure regulator assembly for use on an internal combustion engine having an exhaust system, an air pump, and an auxiliary pneumatic device, said assembly comprising an upper housing having an inlet adapted to receive air from said pump, an outlet adapted to discharge air to said exhaust system, and a valve seat intermediate said inlet and said outlet, a diverter valve member biased into engagement with said valve seat, a stem secured to said valve member, a diaphragm secured to said stem and defining a regulated pressure chamber with said housing, said stem having a passage connecting said inlet and said chamber for supplying air thereto, said chamber being adapted for connection to said device for supplying air thereto, a check valve in said passage for preventing air flow from said chamber to said inlet, said diaphragm being responsive to the pressure in said regulated pressure chamber to shift said diverter valve member away from said valve seat when the pressure in said chamber exceeds a predetermined minimum and to permit said diverter valve member to engage said valve seat when the pressure in said chamber is below said minimum whereby air flow through said outlet is restricted to charge said regulated pressure chamber and said device to said minimum pressure, a lower housing defining a bias chamber with said actuating diaphragm, said lower housing having a restricted aperture opening from said bias chamber and a passage connecting said regulated pressure chamber and said bias chamber, a control valve in said housing passage biased to prevent flow from said regulated pressure chamber to said bias chamber, and means for operating said control valve to permit flow from said regulated pressure chamber to said bias chamber and thereby equalize the pressures therein to permit said diverter valve to engage said valve seat and thus restrict flow to the engine exhaust system.