Mini-regulator valve assembly

Claim 2

A regulating valve for use in a gas cylinder having an opening formed therein comprising: (a) a first valve member adapted to be retained in the opening in the cylinder; (b) a second valve member disposed for movement with respect to said first valve member, one of said first and second valve members forming a valve seat and the other forming a sealing edge cooperating with said seat thereby forming an outlet valve from the cylinder; (c) first biasing means biasing said second valve member against said first valve member so as to bring said sealing edge into contact with said seat and close said valve; (d) an actuator for acting on said second valve member, said actuator having an outlet passage, said actuator supported for limited axial motion; (e) means associated with said actuator forming an inner chamber in communication with said outlet valve, said inner chamber having an outer surface of area greater than the area of said outlet passage, and an outer chamber; (f) at least one port formed in said actuator establishing communication between said inner chamber and said outlet passage; (g) an axially adjustable support surface; and (h) second biasing means disposed in said outer chamber between said support surface and said actuator, whereby axially inward movement of said actuator will cause it to move said seat and edge apart to permit a flow of gas into said inner chamber and through said ports, said gas thereupon acting over said outlet passage along with the biasing force of said second biasing means and aided by the biasing force of said first biasing means to tend to close the valve comprising said valve seat and said edge as pressure builds up to the desired value to thereby obtain a regulating effect.

Claim 3

A regulating valve according to claim 1, wherein: (a) said first valve member comprises a cylindrical valve housing having a base and containing said sealing edge; (b) said second valve member comprises a poppet valve with a conical outer surface and a cylindrical bore; (c) said first biasing means comprise a helical spring disposed within said bore and acting between the base of said valve housing and said bore; (d) said actuator comprises a member with inner and outer cylindrical flanges separated by a solid central wall, an actuating projection projecting from said wall and adapted to act upon said poppet valve when said inner flange is placed around said cylindrical valve housing, said inner flange surrounding said valve housing in a sealing manner; (e) said inner chamber is formed by said central wall, the inner radial surface of said inner flange and the outer surface of said cylindrical valve housing a tube being attached to said central wall and extending outwardly forming said outlet passage, said outer chamber being the source between said tube and outer flange; (f) said port is at least on passage between said inner chamber and said tube, extending through said central wall; (g) said support surface comprises a hollow cylindrical housing having an inner end surrounding said outer flange and a nut adjustably threaded in its outer end forming an extension of said second chamber, said tube passing through said nut; and (h) said second biasing means is a helical spring acting between nut and said central wall.

Claim 4

A regulating valve for use in a gas cylinder having an opening formed therein comprising; (a) a first valve member having a central bore fixedly and outwardly retained in the opening in the cylinder; (b) a second valve member inwardly disposed in said opening for movement therein, one of said first and second valve members forming a valve seat and the other forming a sealing edge cooperating with said seat; (c) first biasing means biasing said second valve member against said first valve member so as to bring said sealing edge into contact with said seat and close said valve; (d) an actuator for acting on said second valve member disposed within said central bore in said first valve member, said actuator having an outlet; (e) means supporting said actuator for limited axial motion within said central bore, said means sealing said member within said central bore and dividing said central bore into an inner chamber and an outer chamber; (f) ports formed in said actuator establishing communication between said inner chamber and the outlet in said actuator; (g) an axially movable support surface disposed within said outer chamber; (h) means for limiting the axially outward movement of said surface; and (i) second biasing means disposed between said support surface and said actuator, whereby, a tubular probe may be inserted into said central bore acting against said axially movable support surface, and maintained in sealing contact with said actuator so as to receive a discharge from its outlet, with axialy inward movement of said support surfact acting, through said biasing means on said actuator causing it to move said seat and edge apart to permit a flow of gas into said inner chamber and through said ports, said gas thereupon acting on said means supporting against the biasing force of said second biasing means to tend to close the valve comprising said valve seat and said edge to thereby obtain a regulating effect.

Claim 5

A regulating valve for use in a gas cylinder having an opening formed therein comprising; (a) a first valve member having a central bore fixedly and outwardly retained in the opening in the cylinder; (b) a second valve member inwardly disposed in said opening for movement therein, one of said first and second valve members forming a valve seat and the other forming a sealing edge cooperating with said seat; (c) first biasing means biasing said second valve member against said first valve member so as to bring said sealing edge into contact with said seat and close said valve; (d) an actuator for acting on said second valve member disposed within said central bore in said first valve member, said actuator having an outlet; (e) means supporting said actuator for limited axial motion within said central bore, said means sealing said member within said central bore and dividing said central bore into an inner chamber and an outer chamber; (f) ports formed in said actuator establishing communication between said inner chamber and the outlet in said actuator; (g) an axially movable support surface disposed within said outer chamber; (h) means for limiting the axially outward movement of said surface; and (i) second biasing means disposed between said support surface and said actuator, whereby, a tubular probe may be inserted into said central bore acting against said axially movable support surface, and maintained in sealing contact with said actuator so as to receive a discharge from its outlet, with axialy inward movement of said support surfact acting, through said biasing means on said actuator causing it to move said seat and edge apart to permit a flow of gas into said inner chamber and through said ports, said gas thereupon acting on said means supporting against the biasing force of said second biasing means to tend to close the valve comprising said valve seat and said edge to thereby obtain a regulating effect.

Claim 6

A valve according to claim 3 wherein said means supporting comprise a diaphragm extending between said first valve member and said actuator.

Claim 7

A valve according to claim 4 wherein said first valve membr is divided into first and second parts, said diaphragm sealingly engaging said first part and held fast between said first and second parts at its outer circumferences.

Claim 8

A valve according to claim 3 wherein said means supporting comprise an annular member sealed against the bore in said first valve member at its circumference thereby acting as a piston.

Claim 9

A regulator valve assembly for providing a continuous supply of gas at a predetermined pressure from a source of high pressure gas stored in a pressurized cylinder, comprising: valve means mounted on the pressurized cylinder and including a valve housing and a shiftable valve member therein at least in part for preventing unintentional gas leakage from the pressurized cylinder, and actuator means including: (a) a shiftable actuator body for contacting and moving said valve member from a closed position (b) a regulator valve outlet passage on one side of said actuator body, (c) biasing means for exerting on said actuator body a first force inwardly towards said valve member, (d) a chamber communicating with said cylinder upon an opening of said valve member on the other side of said actuator body and disposed between said valve housing and said actuator body for containing gas, exerting a second force opposed to first force on said actuator body, (e) at least one passageway in said actuator body extending from said chamber to said outlet passage, the effective pressure area in an outward direction on said actuator body acting against said biasing means being greater than the effective pressure area in said outlet passage acting in concert with said biasing means.

Claim 10

A regulator valve assembly for providing a continuous supply of gas at a predetermined pressure from a source of high pressure gas stored in a pressurized cylinder, comprising: valve means mounted on the pressurized cylinder and including a valve housing and a shiftable valve member therein at least in part for preventing unintentional gas leakage from the pressurized cylinder, and actuator means including: (a) a shiftable actuator body for contacting and moving said valve member from a closed position (b) a regulator valve outlet passage on one side of said actuator body, (c) biasing means for exerting on said actuator body a first force inwardly towards said valve member, (d) a chamber communicating with said cylinder upon an opening of said valve member on the other side of said actuator body and disposed between said valve housing and said actuator body for containing gas, exerting a second force opposed to first force on said actuator body, (e) at least one passageway in said actuator body extending from said chamber to said outlet passage, the effective pressure area in an outward direction on said actuator body acting against said biasing means being greater than the effective pressure area in said outlet passage acting in concert with said biasing means.

Claim 11

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 7 wherein said actuator means further includes coupling means integral with said actuator body for slidably engaging said valve housing in a gas tight fit and for forming said chamber between said valve housing and said actuator body.

Claim 12

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 8 wherein said coupling means includes a cylindrical flange extending longitudinally from said actuator body toward said valve housing.

Claim 13

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 9 wherein said valve housing is threadedly mounted in the neck of said cylinder, said valve housing has a cylindrical outer surface and said flange has a uniform thickness, said neck being provided with a bore having an inner bore portion with a diameter equal to the diameter of said cylindrical outer surface and an outer bore portion with a diameter substantially equal to the sum of the diameter of said cylindrical bore portion plus twice the thickness of said flange, whereby upon a mounting of said valve housing in said cylinder, an annular recess is formed between said cylinder and said valve housing for receiving said flange.

Claim 14

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 10, further comprising quick connection means for facilitating an insertion of said flange into said recess.

Claim 15

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said quick connection means includes a cam.

Claim 16

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 11 wherein said quick connection means includes a yoke pivotably mounted to said actuator means.

Claim 17

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 7, wherein said outlet passage comprises a hollow elongate tube having an outlet port at one end and being connected at an opposite end to said actuator body.

Claim 18

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 14 wherein said biasing means is a helical spring coiled about said probe, said actuator means further including a spring housing in which said biasing spring is disposed, a side of said actuator body opposite said valve housing being slidably inserted in said spring housing.

Claim 19

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 15 wherein said actuator body is provided with a circumferential flange extending longitudinally in a direction away from said valve housing, said flange and said probe forming longitudinal walls of an annular recess, an end of said biasing spring being seated against said actuator body in said annular recess.

Claim 20

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 16 wherein said actuator means further includes adjusting means mounted in said spring housing for changing the compression of said biasing spring, thereby modifying the magnitude of said first force and therefore the magnitude of said predetermined pressure.

Claim 21

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 7 wherein said biasing mean comprise a helical biasing spring and said actuator means further includes a spring housing in which said biasing spring is disposed, said actuator body is in the form of sleeve with a substantially transverse divider member spaced from the ends of said sleeve, one end of said sleeve slidably engaging said valve housing in a gas tight fit to form said chamber and an opposite end of said sleeve being slidably inserted in said spring housing.

Claim 22

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 7 wherein said valve member is a poppet valve, an annular valve seat being formed in said valve housing and an additional biasing spring arranged to urge said poppet valve against said valve seat.

Claim 23

The regulator valve according to claim 19 and further including a dust cover having a disk-like base and a central stem, said stem projecting through an opening in said valve housing, and a further biasing spring acting between said dust cover and said poppet valve.

Claim 24

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 19 wherein said valve member has a first cylindrical portion spaced from said actuator means and a second cylindrical portion projecting towards said actuator means, said first cylindrical portion having a larger diameter than said second cylindrical portion, said valve member including a conically shaped portion joining said cylindrical portions, said valve housing having a circular aperture with an inside edge engageable by said conically shaped portion to form a gas tight seal.

Claim 25

The regulator valve assembly defined in claim 21 wherein said valve member has a longitudinal recess in said first cylindrical portion and said additional biasing spring has one end seated in said longitudinal recess.

Claim 26

A regulating valve for a fluid comprising: (a) a first valve member; (b) a second valve member disposed for movement with respect to said first valve member, one of said first and second valve members forming a valve seat and the other forming a sealing edge cooperating with said seat thereby forming an outlet valve; (c) first biasing means biasing said second valve member against said first valve member so as to bring said sealing edge into contact with said seat to close said valve; (d) an actuator for acting on said second valve member, said actuator having an outlet passage, said actuator supported for limited axial motion; (e) means associated with said actuator forming an inner chamber in communication with said outlet passage, said inner chamber having an outer surface of area greater than the area of said outlet passage, and an outer chamber; (f) at least one port formed in said actuator establishing communication between said inner chamber and said outlet passage; (g) an axially adjustable support surface; and (h) second biasing means disposed in said outer chamber between said support surface and said actuator, whereby axial inward movement of said actuator will cause it to move said seat and edge apart to permit a flow of fluid into said inner chamber and through said ports, said fluid thereupon acting over said outlet passage along with the biasing force of said second biasing means and aided by the biasing force of said first biasing means to tend to close the valve comprising said valve seat and edge as pressure builds up to the desired valve to thereby obtain a regulating effect.

Claim 27

A regulating valve for a fluid comprising: (a) a first valve member; (b) a second valve member disposed for movement with respect to said first valve member, one of said first and second valve members forming a valve seat and the other forming a sealing edge cooperating with said seat thereby forming an outlet valve; (c) first biasing means biasing said second valve member against said first valve member so as to bring said sealing edge into contact with said seat to close said valve; (d) an actuator for acting on said second valve member, said actuator having an outlet passage, said actuator supported for limited axial motion; (e) means associated with said actuator forming an inner chamber in communication with said outlet passage, said inner chamber having an outer surface of area greater than the area of said outlet passage, and an outer chamber; (f) at least one port formed in said actuator establishing communication between said inner chamber and said outlet passage; (g) an axially adjustable support surface; and (h) second biasing means disposed in said outer chamber between said support surface and said actuator, whereby axial inward movement of said actuator will cause it to move said seat and edge apart to permit a flow of fluid into said inner chamber and through said ports, said fluid thereupon acting over said outlet passage along with the biasing force of said second biasing means and aided by the biasing force of said first biasing means to tend to close the valve comprising said valve seat and edge as pressure builds up to the desired valve to thereby obtain a regulating effect.

Claim 28

A regulator valve according to claim 23 wherein the fluid is a gas.

Claim 29

A regulator valve according to claim 24, for use in a gas cylinder having an opening formed therein, wherein said first valve member is adapted to be retained in the opening of the cylinder.