Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
A steam trap construction for allowing the escape of condensate of and from a working fluid under pressure and adapted for mounting in a body having a working fluid chamber communicating with a working fluid inlet and selectively communicating with or closed off from a condensate outlet, said trap construction comprising an enclosure carried by said body, a deformable metal diaphragm carried by said enclosure and dividing the latter into a first chamber and a second chamber, control fluid means in said first chamber under pressure, an annular valve seat extending into said second chamber and communicating via passage means with said outlet, one face of said diaphragm confronting and being capable of seating on said valve seat and its opposite face being exposed to said control fluid, and fluid passage means establishing communication between said working fluid chamber and said second chamber of said enclosure radially outwardly of said valve seat, said diaphragm being deformable to a position off said valve seat when the pressure of said working fluid acting on said one face of said diaphragm exceeds the pressure of said control fluid acting on the opposite face of said diaphragm, whereby fluid may pass from said second chamber into said outlet via said passage means, the area of said one face of said diaphragm exposed to said working fluid being less than the area of the opposite face of said diaphragm exposed to said control fluid when said diaphragm is seated on said valve seat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
A steam trap construction for allowing the escape of condensate of and from a working fluid under pressure and adapted for mounting in a body having a working fluid chamber communicating with a working fluid inlet and selectively communicating with or closed off from a condensate outlet, said trap construction comprising an enclosure carried by said body, a deformable metal diaphragm carried by said enclosure and dividing the latter into a first chamber and a second chamber, control fluid means in said first chamber under pressure, an annular valve seat extending into said second chamber and communicating via passage means with said outlet, one face of said diaphragm confronting and being capable of seating on said valve seat and its opposite face being exposed to said control fluid, and fluid passage means establishing communication between said working fluid chamber and said second chamber of said enclosure radially outwardly of said valve seat, said diaphragm being deformable to a position off said valve seat when the pressure of said working fluid acting on said one face of said diaphragm exceeds the pressure of said control fluid acting on the opposite face of said diaphragm, whereby fluid may pass from said second chamber into said outlet via said passage means, the area of said one face of said diaphragm exposed to said working fluid being less than the area of the opposite face of said diaphragm exposed to said control fluid when said diaphragm is seated on said valve seat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A construction according to claim 1 including check valve means carried by said enclosure for enabling said working fluid to flow into said second chamber in a direction from said working fluid only.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A construction according to claim 2 wherein said check valve means comprises an annular, flexible ring overlying said passage means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A construction according to claim 3 including retaining means overlying a peripheral edge of said ring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A construction according to claim 3 wherein said retaining means overlies said ring at its outer periphery.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A construction according to claim 3 wherein said retaining means overlies said ring at its inner periphery.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A construction according to claim 1 including means accessible externally of said body for displacing said enclosure.