Air release valve
AssigneeGorman-Rupp Pumps
InventorsLarry P. Liebhart, Michael L. Stoffer, Craig S. Redmond
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A release valve for a self-priming pump includes a housing, a valve member, an exhaust outlet, a guide stem, a spring, and a bellows. The valve is positioned in a valve opening in the housing and is movable between an open and a closed position. The open position permits the travel of air and fluid through the opening. The closed position closes the valve opening. The valve plug is positioned in the valve opening responsive to pressure in the flow passageway of the housing. The guide stem is coupled to the valve plug and the spring is coupled to the guide stem. The bellows surrounds the spring.
Claims22
A release valve for a self-priming pump having a pumping chamber comprising:
- a housing having a flow passageway extending therein, said flow passageway having at least one flow passageway inlet for coupling with the pumping chamber;
- a pressure responsive valve member positioned in at least one valve opening in the housing and being movable between an open and a closed position, with the open position permitting the travel of air and fluid through the opening and the closed position closing the at least one valve opening, with the valve member being movable between a first closed position in which a surface of the valve member blocks the at least one valve opening, a second open position in which flow is permitted through the at least one valve opening, and a third closed position where a surface of the valve member blocks the at least one valve opening;
- a valve outlet coupled to the housing positioned downstream of the at least one valve opening, with flow moving through the valve outlet when the at least one valve opening is in the second open position;
- a guide stem coupled to the valve member for assisting in aligning the valve member with the at least one valve opening and permitting movement of the valve member up and down;
- wherein the valve is operable between a first position where an upper surface of the valve member abuts a lower surface of the at least one valve opening to close the at least one valve opening, a third position where a lower surface of the valve member abuts an upper surface of the at least one valve opening to close the at least one valve opening, and a second position where the at least one valve opening is not blocked by the valve member, permitting at least air to travel through the at least one valve opening to the valve outlet.
A valve for purging air from a fluid system responsive to pressure in the system, said valve comprising:
- a housing having a flow passageway therethrough for accepting pressurized liquid;
- a valve seat positioned in the housing defining a valve opening,
- a valve plug positioned through the valve opening, said valve plug having a valve stem that extends through the valve opening, an upper closing member at an upper end of the valve stem, and a lower closing member at the lower, opposite end of the valve stem;
- wherein movement of the valve plug is responsive to pressure in the system between a first closed position and a second open position, with the first closed position being associated with the presence of pressure that moves the valve plug upwardly through the valve opening such that a surface of the lower closing member blocks the valve opening, and the second open position corresponds to a lower operating pressure that permits the valve plug to move downwardly such that the valve opening is no longer blocked to permit air and fluid to travel around the valve plug and through the valve opening.
An air release valve for releasing air from a system comprising
- a housing having a flow passageway therein for accepting pressurized liquid;
- at least one valve seat positioned in the housing defining at least one valve opening;
- at least one valve member for seating on the at least one valve opening and for closing the at least one valve opening responsive to pressure in the system;
- wherein movement of the at least one valve member is responsive to pressure in the system between a closed position and an open position, with the closed position being one or more of:
- associated with a high operating pressure where the at least one valve member moves upwardly to cover a lower end of the at least one valve opening, and
- associated with a low operating pressure where the at least one valve member moves downwardly to cover an upper end of the at least one valve opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.