Accumulator high flow valve

Claim 2

A valve for a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel comprising a casing having a gas orifice and a liquid orifice which are disposed opposite to each other, and a movable separator which extends within the casing between the two orifices and which divides it into a gas compartment and a liquid compartment which are variable in volume, the valve comprising a stem portion which is mounted slidably in a guide and a head portion which is adapted to close the liquid orifice, said stem portion defining with said guide a variable-volume liquid chamber, said chamber decreasing in volume when the stem portion is moved inwardly and said chamber communicating by passage means with an orifice disposed in the vicinity of the head portion of the valve, the valve being characterized in that said passage means comprise means for interrupting the flow of liquid from said chamber responsive to decreases in volume of said chamber and leakage means between said chamber and an active portion of said liquid flow interrupting means.

Claim 3

A valve according to claim 1 characterized in that said passage means comprise a cylindrical portion provided with a sealing seat at the end nearest the orifice of said passage means and said liquid flow interrupting means comprise a closure member which is mounted movably in said cylindrical portion and adapted to be urged by the liquid in said chamber to come into closing contact against said sealing seat in response to a reduction in volume of said chamber, said leakage means providing a permanent communication, of reduced section, along said cylindrical portion, between portions of said cylindrical portion which are disposed on respective sides of the closure member.

Claim 4

A valve according to claim 2 characterized in that, at the end of the cylindrical portion of the liquid passage means which is remote from the sealing seat and which is towards the variable-volume chamber, the cylindrical portion comprises a support for defining a rest position of the closure member and towards which the closure member tends to be urged by a light spring, said support being capable of passing the flow between said chamber and said cylindrical portion.

Claim 5

A valve according to claim 3 characterized in that said support is defined by an end of a hollow pin which is split.

Claim 6

A valve according to claim 3 characterized in that said support is defined by a notched end of a hollow pin.

Claim 7

A valve according to claim 3 characterized in that said support is defined by an end of a hollow pin and is associated with a by-pass duct.

Claim 8

A valve according to claim 3 characterized in that said support is defined by an end of said cylindrical portion and is associated with a by-pass duct.

Claim 9

A valve according to claim 3 characterized in that adjusting means are provided for adjusting the height of the support.

Claim 10

A valve according to claim 8 characterized in that said adjusting means comprise a stack of a larger or smaller number of disc washers.

Claim 11

A valve according to claim 8 characterized in that the adjusting means comprise a screw means.

Claim 12

A valve according to claim 2 characterized in that the closure member comprises a ball.

Claim 13

A valve according to claim 2 characterized in that the closure member comprises a plunger piston.

Claim 14

A valve according to claim 2 characterized in that the leakage means comprise a slight diametral clearance between the closure member and the cylindrical portion of the passage means.

Claim 15

A valve according to claim 2 characterized in that the leakage means comprise at least one narrow duct in the closure member.

Claim 16

A valve according to claim 2 characterized in that the leakage means comprise at least one narrow duct in the stem portion of the valve.

Claim 17

A valve according to claim 1 characterized in that the orifice of the passage means is disposed immediately below the head portion of the valve.

Claim 18

A valve according to claim 1 characterized in that an annular deflector is disposed below the head portion of the valve.

Claim 19

A valve according to claim 17 characterized in that the orifice of the passage means is disposed within said annular deflector.

Claim 20

A valve according to claim 17 wherein the valve is returned to the position of opening the liquid orifice by a spring, characterized in that said annular deflector forms a seat for said return spring.

Claim 21

A valve according to claim 17 wherein the valve is returned to the position of opening the liquid orifice by a spring characterized in that the strength of said return spring is low and only slightly greater than that which is required to balance the mass of the valve, as increased in consideration of the hydraulic resistance and frictional forces.

Claim 22

A valve for a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel comprising a casing having a gas orifice and a liquid orifice which are disposed opposite to each other, and a movable separator which extends within the casing between said two orifices and divides it into a gas compartment and a liquid compartment which are variable in volume, said valve having a stem portion mounted slidably in a guide and a head portion adapted to close the liquid orifice, said stem portion defining with said guide a variable-volume liquid chamber, a liquid passage disposed in the valve and extending between said chamber and an orifice disposed below the head portion of the valve, characterized in that said passage comprises a cylindrical portion provided on the one hand with a sealing seat at its end which is towards the orifice of said passage and on the other hand a non-sealing seat at its end which is towards said chamber, while a ball is mounted movable in said cylindrical portion, being urged by a spring towards the non-sealing seat and being adapted to be urged by the liquid so as to move into a position of closure against the sealing seat in response to a reduction in the volume of said chamber, a reduced-section leakage means formed by a slight diametral clearance between the ball and said portion and an annular deflector disposed below the head portion of the valve and forming a seat for a weak spring for returning the valve to the open position.

Claim 23

A valve for a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel comprising a casing having a gas orifice and a liquid orifice which are disposed opposite to each other, and a movable separator which extends within the casing between said two orifices and divides it into a gas compartment and a liquid compartment which are variable in volume, said valve having a stem portion mounted slidably in a guide and a head portion adapted to close the liquid orifice, said stem portion defining with said guide a variable-volume liquid chamber, a liquid passage disposed in the valve and extending between said chamber and an orifice disposed below the head portion of the valve, characterized in that said passage comprises a cylindrical portion provided on the one hand with a sealing seat at its end which is towards the orifice of said passage and on the other hand a non-sealing seat at its end which is towards said chamber, while a ball is mounted movable in said cylindrical portion, being urged by a spring towards the non-sealing seat and being adapted to be urged by the liquid so as to move into a position of closure against the sealing seat in response to a reduction in the volume of said chamber, a reduced-section leakage means formed by a slight diametral clearance between the ball and said portion and an annular deflector disposed below the head portion of the valve and forming a seat for a weak spring for returning the valve to the open position.