Anti-syphon fluid control valve apparatus and method

Claim 1

An anti-syphon control valve comprising: an elongate inlet passage defining an axial direction and having a first end and a second end, the first end being adapted to receive fluid flow from a source to enable the fluid to flow through the inlet passage in the axial direction and out the second end; an elongate outlet passage having a first end and a second end, the first end surrounding the inlet passage so as to be in substantial co-axial orientation with the second end of the inlet passage such that said first end of the outlet passage is disposed immediately adjacent to the second end of the inlet passage to thereby place the outlet passage in fluidic communication with the inlet passage; a housing having a first end and a second end and positioned so as to extend in the axial direction between said first and second ends, said housing containing the second end of the inlet passage and the first end of the outlet passage therein, the inlet and outlet passages being disposed through the second end of the housing; a float disposed within the housing such that at least a portion of said float resides between the first end of the housing and the second end of the inlet passage, said float being configured for movement within the housing in the axial directions (i) to enable the float to move responsive to at least a first force toward the second end of the housing to cover the second end of the inlet passage, and (ii) to enable the float to move toward the first end of the housing responsive to fluid flow passing from the inlet passage against the float to thereby uncover the second end of the inlet passage and permit fluid to flow out of the second end of the inlet passage and into the first end of the outlet passage; a float block at least a portion of which is disposed within the housing between the float and the first end of the housing, said float block including vent holes formed therein to enable communication of an interior of the housing with atmosphere, said float block configured to engage with the float when the float moves toward the first end of the housing to enable the float to close off communication of the interior of the housing with the atmosphere; at least one protrusion extending laterally from an exterior sidewall portion of the float toward an interior surface of the housing to enable continuous fluid communication between the first end of the outlet passage and the vent holes of the float block a substantially rigid inlet channel having a second end in fluid communication with the first end of the inlet passage and a first end configured for attachment to a supply tube, said inlet channel extending in the axial direction and being configured to convey fluid in the axial direction from the supply tube to the inlet passage; a substantially rigid outlet channel having a first end in fluid communication with the second end of the outlet passage and a second end configured for attachment to a discharge tube, said outlet channel extending in the axial direction and being positioned immediately adjacent to the inlet channel and being configured to convey fluid in the axial direction from the outlet passage to the discharge tube; at least one brace member disposed on an interior surface of the co-axial portion of the outlet passage and extending radially inward into abutment with an exterior surface of the co-axial portion of the inlet passage to thereby provide lateral support to said inlet passage.