Device for the dosed diffusion of gases in liquids

Claim 3

In an aquarium system having means associated therewith for the automatic diffusion of carbon dioxide into a body of water contained within, said aquarium consisting of a vessel adapted to retain a body of water, said water in communication with the surrounding atmosphere, the improvement which consists of: carbon dioxide diffusion means consisting of a hollow body diffusion contained within said vessel, the lower portion of said diffusor near or at the bottom of said vessel and communicating with water in said vessel by means of at least one opening at or near the bottom of said diffusor, and the upper portion thereof connected to a carbon dioxide inlet means connected to an automatically-regulating pressure-regulating valve situated between a source of carbon dioxide and said diffusion body and connected operably thereto, said pressure-regulating valve adjustable to provide a selected diffusion rate of said carbon dioxide into said water and means to supply said carbon dioxide to said pressure-regulating valve, said pressure-regulating valve blocked on the supply-pressure side by a small valve smaller than said pressure-regulating valve operable by means of an actuating member subjected to the regulating pressure and to an adjustable prestress, said smaller valve consisting of a valve head loaded by a compression spring and axially movable against a sealing ring, said smaller valve liftable from a leak-tight seat by means of a tappet, one end of said tappet being directed to said valve head, a mushroom-shaped thrust member mounted on the opposite end of and movable with said tappet, said thrust member resting on an elastic disc-shaped diaphragm, said diaphragm shutting off in a leak-tight manner the regulating pressure region of said pressure-regulating valve.

Claim 4

In an aquarium system having means associated therewith for the automatic diffusion of carbon dioxide into a body of water contained within, said aquarium consisting of a vessel adapted to retain a body of water, said water in communication with the surrounding atmosphere, the improvement which consists of: carbon dioxide diffusion means consisting of a hollow body diffusion contained within said vessel, the lower portion of said diffusor near or at the bottom of said vessel and communicating with water in said vessel by means of at least one opening at or near the bottom of said diffusor, and the upper portion thereof connected to a carbon dioxide inlet means connected to an automatically-regulating pressure-regulating valve situated between a source of carbon dioxide and said diffusion body and connected operably thereto, said pressure-regulating valve adjustable to provide a selected diffusion rate of said carbon dioxide into said water and means to supply said carbon dioxide to said pressure-regulating valve, said pressure-regulating valve blocked on the supply-pressure side by a small valve smaller than said pressure-regulating valve operable by means of an actuating member subjected to the regulating pressure and to an adjustable prestress, said smaller valve consisting of a valve head loaded by a compression spring and axially movable against a sealing ring, said smaller valve liftable from a leak-tight seat by means of a tappet, one end of said tappet being directed to said valve head, a mushroom-shaped thrust member mounted on the opposite end of and movable with said tappet, said thrust member resting on an elastic disc-shaped diaphragm, said diaphragm shutting off in a leak-tight manner the regulating pressure region of said pressure-regulating valve.

Claim 5

Device according to claim 2 wherein said hollow body of said diffusor widens conically downwards.

Claim 6

Device according to claim 2 wherein said valve contains a gas stream reduction means at the discharge means thereof.

Claim 7

A device as defined by claim 4 wherein said diffusion is perforated with large-area recesses at or near the bottom thereof and provided with a continuous or interrupted flange at the bottom thereof.

Claim 8

A device as defined by claim 4 wherein the bottom of said diffusor is provided with a covering means.

Claim 9

A device as defined by claim 4 wherein the outer side of said diaphragm, facing away from said thrust member is subjectable to a definite force by means of an axially movable piston.

Claim 10

A device as defined by claim 7 wherein the valve head, thrust member and piston are guided movably in the axial direction of a housing encasing the pressure-regulating valve and the diaphragm is retained in its peripheral margin by means of a shoulder on the inner wall of said housing.

Claim 11

A device as defined by claim 8 wherein said diaphragm is pressed in a leak-tight manner against said shoulder by means of a retaining ring insertable into said housing, and an intermediate plate having a central threaded bore for receiving an adjusting bush, forming the abutment for a piston rod of said piston loading said diaphragm onto said retaining ring.

Claim 12

A device as defined by claim 9 wherein said piston rod is retained in said adjusting bush with a blind bore into which is inserted a compression spring acting against said adjusting bush, said piston rod having an axial play of movement.