Excess flow limiter

Claim 1

A excess flow limiter for attachment in a flow path comprising: a main body with a lower inlet chamber and an upper outlet chamber connected by a central vertical passage having an inlet end and an outlet end; a freely movable slide member sealably housed in said central vertical passage and extending into said lower inlet chamber comprising a hollow cylinder with a closed lower end having a flange with sealing means about the closed lower end to seal the inlet end of said central vertical passage; support means mounted in said lower inlet chamber to support the closed lower end of said slide member that extends into said lower inlet chamber thereby supporting said slide member in said central vertical passage when necessary; a set of outflow apertures in the side wall of said slide member above said flange to allow passage of flowable material from the lower inlet chamber to the upper outlet chamber through the hollow cylindrical interior of said slide member, said apertures being appropriately sized to allow the passage of a specified flow of material; and means to reset the flow limiter after it has been triggered to stop excess flow comprising a button member mounted in said outlet chamber directly above said central passage, said button being normally biased by spring means into an upper rest position whereupon pressing the button member causes said member to move downwardly to contact and bear against the upper edge of said slide member in order to push said slide member downwardly in said central passage to realign the slide member into the proper working configuration.