Pneumatic filter/separator with magnetically controlled fluid valve
AssigneeInternational Basic Economy Corporation
InventorJohn L. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid valve apparatus particularly for pneumatic service (air or other gases) in a filter/separator for opening and closing a valve in response to the level of liquid in a container. The apparatus includes a valve having a magnetically attractable portion and a float having a magnet therein adjacent but physically separated from the valve for opening and closing the valve magnetically in response to changes in the liquid level within the container. In the preferred embodiment, the valve apparatus is used with a filter/separator in an air pressure supply line to automatically dump water and other liquids condensed from the air supply and collected in the filter reservoir.
Claims26
A pneumatic filter/separator having a housing with a gas inlet and a gas outlet;
- a reservoir means attached to said housing and communicating with said inlet and outlet and having means for filtering and separating foreign material including liquids from said gas as it passes through said reservoir means and out of said outlet;
- said reservoir including a collection portion for collecting said liquid separated from said gas;
- and a valve means adapted for preventing the escape of said liquid from said collection portion and releasing said liquid from said collection portion, the improvement comprising:
- said valve means including a float, a first valve member, and second, gas-actuated valve means responsive to acutation of said first valve member for releasing the liquid from said reservoir means;
- cooperating magnet means associated with said float and with said first valve member for causing said first valve member to be actuated to at least two positions in response to movement of said float to admit gas to said second valve means;
- said filtering and separating means including means for supplying filtered gas to said first valve member and said second valve means;
- said first valve member when actuated to one position causing filtered gas to actuate said second valve means for a closed to an open position to release said liquid from said collection chamber, and when actuated to another position, closing off filtered gas to said second valve means allowing said second valve means to return to its closed position to prevent escape of said liquid from said collection portion whereby said filter/separator automatically dumps collected liquid from said reservoir.
Valve apparatus for opening and closing a fluid valve in response to the level of a liquid in a container, said liquid having a predetermined density, said apparatus comprising:
- a conduit;
- first valve means for opening and closing said conduit, said valve means including a first valve member movably mounted to open and close said conduit and having a portion formed from magnetically attractable material;
- pressure means for admitting a gas under pressure to one end of said conduit;
- float means mounted for movement within a container in response to the liquid level therein, adapted to float in said liquid, having a density less than that of the liquid, and having a magnet for attracting and moving said first valve member by magnetic force without direct physical contact between said first valve member and float means to open and close said conduit to admit gas pressure from said pressure means within said conduit as said liquid level changes within the container;
- and second valve means within said conduit for opening and closing said conduit, said second valve means being movable between open and closed positions in response to the presence or absence of gas pressure within said conduit as controlled by said first valve means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.