US 2001/0032669 A1Published application

Automatic drain valve with pneumatic actuation

AssigneePrecision Pneumatics, LLC

InventorsWilliam C. Stumphauzer, Hugh F. Groth

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Abstract

A float actuated drain system for reservoirs containing pressurized air and/or liquids such as drain valves for traps used in the accumulation of condensate materials from pneumatic systems opens and closes a drain valve depending upon the water level in the reservoir. The drain valve uses internal pressure released from within the reservoir through a normally closed orifice and passing through a tube to operate a drain valve actuator. A lever pivotally mounted inside the reservoir has a float on one end and a stopper on the opposite end which closes the orifice when the liquid level in the reservoir is low and which moves away from the orifice when the fluid reaches a high level in the reservoir to release pressure through the orifice to operate the valve actuator and open the drain valve. After the liquid drains from the reservoir, the float moves to a lower position and the stopper closes the orifice.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An automatic drain valve system for reservoirs containing pressurized air or liquids comprising:

a reservoir provided with an inlet opening and an outlet opening,
a drain valve for the reservoir mounted externally of the reservoir and connected to the outlet drain;
a pneumatic valve operator mounted externally of the reservoir and attached to the drain valve for opening and closing the valve;
a buoyant float positioned withing the reservoir responsive to liquid level in the reservoir to move between a high position and a low position with the reservoir;
a normally closed orifice in an upper portion of the reservoir;
a pivotally mounted actuation lever means having a first end operatively connected to a stopper that seals the orifice inside the reservoir and having a second end operatively connected to a float positioned in the upper portion of the reservoir;
and
pneumatic means connected between the normally closed orifice and the drain valve operator to cause the drain valve operator to open the drain valve when the orifice stopper is moved to an open position by the float rising to a higher position in the reservoir, and to close the drain valve when the normally closed orifice is sealed by the stopper when the float sinks to a low position in the reservoir.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.